Father to a Blond Hyuga
by Dread Knight N7
Summary: He didn't expect to be a father at 16. He didn't expect the mother of his child to be the shiest girl he knew. He didn't expect the road to parenthood to be so hard. He didn't expect that his first child would be created rather than born...Naru/Hina
1. Chapter 1

Hello readers! Welcome to my second story! I got the inspiration for this story from _**devilxknight86**_'s story _"Fox Family OF Konoha"_ who got his inspiration from _**brown phantom**_'s story "_Naruto's Kit_".

Summary: He didn't expect to be a father at 16. He didn't expect the mother of his child to be the shiest girl he knew. He didn't expect the road to parenthood to be so hard. He didn't expect that his first child would be created rather than born... No matter what unexpected events were thrown into his face, Naruto knew that he would have to protect his new family…

Disclaimer: I do not own _Naruto,_ I wish I did though.

"Normal"

"_Thoughts"_

"**YELLING or JUTSUS**"

**"Demon talk**"

"_**Demon Thoughts**_"

_**Father to a Blond Hyuga**_

**Chapter 1**

It was a cold winter night in Konohagakure no Sato. Most people were asleep at this hour, which was why it was the perfect time to execute the plan…

They had spent months planning this abduction. They had bribed some of the police force to look the other way when the time came. They even had the guards' routine down so they knew when there would be a hole in their _"all seeing defense"._

The man spat in disgust. Hyuga…they were vile abominations in his opinion, but orders were orders and he couldn't return to Kumogakure without an unsealed Hyuga. He didn't know what was with the Raikage's bloodline fetish, but he knew failure wouldn't be tolerated.

The man checked his wrist watch. 11:58p.m…two minutes to go…His nerves were all over the place. Whose nerves wouldn't be in frenzy if they were in the same situation? His life was literally on the line and he had to kidnap the heir of clan who can see almost everything around them!

The man's wrist watch went off signaling midnight.

"It's show time…" The man whispered to himself as he pulled his ski mask down and leaped off the roof he was occupying…

**The Hyuga Compound**

The Hyuga compound was built like a tradition Japanese compound. There was 14 feet wall that surrounded the perimeter of this estate. Upon entering through the front gates, visitors would be welcomed by a large courtyard that contained some very lush gardens and a koi pond. The courtyard had two houses behind it. One was noticeably larger than the other. The branch house was the smaller one, but his target was in the larger house.

Upon entering the massive house, the visitor would be greeted by a lavished sitting room that was adorned with artworks and very comfortable looking seats.

The Nin stalked down the halls he had been hours before to locate his target. He stuck to the shadows the best he could. He walked through a couple more halls before he located the dining room. Like everything in the house, the dining room looked extravagant and filled with numerous expensive items. He heard a door open and felt his heart stop for a second.

The Nin jumped into the shadows and prayed to any kami that would listen. Apparently one of them was listening because the person who entered the dining room was a little boy no older than 4 years-old. The little boy yawned loudly before he walked away with a glass of milk in his hands.

The Nin praised his luck before following the boy. He knew that the boy would lead him to his target. It was a shame that the boy in front of him was branded with the caged bird seal though; he would have been more valuable than the Nin's target.

"_Can't get greedy though…"_ the Nin thought as he stalked the boy to the living quarters.

The Nin watched as the boy went into one of the rooms without ever noticing anything amiss. The Nin looked around a couple of empty rooms before he found what he came for. He had found the heiress's room.

He entered slowly and cautiously. His gaze turned to the small lump that lied on the bed in front of him. She was so small and innocent looking. The Nin felt a pang of guilt as he gazed at the girl in front of him.

He had no illusions of grandeur about what he was doing. He was kidnapping a little girl so she could be turned into a fucking lab rat and breeding stock. There was nothing noble about what he was doing or what was going to happen, but he had his orders and it was either her life or his.

The Nin sighed. "I am sorry, kid, but I choose my life over yours…_**Kyo –Seiteki Nemuri no Jutsu (Forced Sleep Technique)**_." The Nin's fingers glowed blue before he tapped the little girl on her unmarked forehead. The girl didn't stir, but her breathing became a little deeper.

"Okay she's out like a light…now for my back up plan…" The Nin mumbled to himself. He took out 3 vials and a syringe.

He drew enough blood to fill the vials before he sealed the vials in a storage seal that was hidden as a tattoo near his heart. Since the death of their Yondaime Hokage, sealing had become a lost art to Konoha. Jiraiya of the Sanin was still alive, but he never took another apprentice and he was more concerned about wondering the elemental lands. Most Konoha-nins wouldn't be able to recognize a hidden seal unless it was pointed out to them. The seal on his chest was crafted by some of the best _**fuinjutsu**_ users in Kumogakure. It was hidden in an actual lightning bolt tattoo.

The seal was actually a safety policy if he couldn't accomplish his mission. He hoped it would be unnecessary and so far it was, but you never know what the future held.

The Nin placed the little girl into the sack he brought with him and traced his footsteps back to the entrance. He timed himself so he wouldn't be spotted by the occasional guard walking around. He scaled the wall and leapt to the other side.

A sense of satisfaction started to swell inside of the Nin. He has just successfully infiltrated the Hyuga compound and snuck out from directly under their noses! HA, so much for those _"all seeing eyes", _the Nin knew that those eyes were all talk_. _

The Nin's mental victory dance came to a halt by a voice disturbing him.

"Oi, what you have in the bag, mister?" came a voice of a kid. The Nin looked down to see a boy with blond hair looking back at him.

The boy's eyes widened as he noticed the bag move a bit and he screamed. "KIDNAPPER!" the boy yelled and ran around the corner to alert the guards at the front gate.

"SHIT!" the Nin screamed as he took off towards the forest.

He didn't know how long he ran…all he knew was they were after him…he could hear them…in the distance…every sound around him reminded him that he couldn't stop. A simple snap of a twig caused him to leap in fear. He was being hunted like a fucking animal!

The Nin paused to take a breath. He cursed that little snot nose brat for the 100th time since he started running. That face would forever be emblazed into his memory. That shocking blond hair, those deep blue eyes, those…whiskers…marks…?

"Oh for fuck's sake" The Nin exasperatedly said. He had just run into the Kyubi jinchuriki. He'd recognize those whisker marks anywhere. They were the same whisker marks the Gold and Silver brothers had. They only got those marks when the Kyubi ate them and then threw the up. Once the Raikage heard about this, he would probably sent back for the fucking blond.

"Maybe I should go back to get him…" the Nin whispered to himself.

"It won't matter since you're a dead man. A voice whispered into his ear.

The Nin's eyes widened as he turned around to see a chakra infused palm heading straight for his chest. The blow had landed and the man felt his heart clench before rupturing. He collapsed onto the ground and looked up to his assailant. He gaze met the murderous glare of Hiashi Hyuga, the Hyuga Clan Head, staring at him with unbridled fury. Damn… he knew that this was the end. He could already feel the pain in his chest and the numbness in some of his extremities. This was it…this was what dying felt like.

"You thought you could have stolen from the Hyuga without us knowing? You made an even greater mistake by trying to kidnap my daughter." Hiashi stated coldly.

If the Nin had any energy left, he would have rolled his eyes. Those arrogant pricks DIDN'T know he had kidnapped their heiress. It was the little blond bastard that alerted them to his presence.

The Nin looked down and almost gasped. The seal was ruptured! No! He would NOT die in vain. He would accomplish his mission even if it was only just some blood instead of the living being he got it from. With the last of his energy and chakra, the Nin raised his hand over his heart and used all his chakra to repair the seal.

Hiashi saw this action, but paid no heed to it since he thought it was a last desperate attempt to live.

The Nin was able to repair the seal to point where it wouldn't be recognized. The Nin allowed himself to smirk a bit. He may have failed his primary objective, but he was still able to give Kumogakure fresh Hyuga blood. He would leave the scientists to do the rest as his tale in this story ended…

With a final gasp for air, the Nin passed on.

"Hn, it was futile to try to heal yourself. No one can survive a _**Juken**_ to the heart." Hiashi said to the corpse as he lifted his daughter to his chest.

The Hokage arrived with ANBU agents around him. "Hiashi-kun, what has happened here?" The elderly Hokage asked.

"I found my daughter's kidnapper and disposed of him in a way I saw fit." Hiashi responded coldly as he gripped the still slumbering Hinata a little tighter.

The elderly man nodded his head as his ANBU agents went to secure the kidnapper's corpse. One of the ANBU members gasped as she pulled the mask off.

The Hokage and Hiashi came over to see that the kidnapper was Kumogakure Ambassador that had been in the Hyuga compound just this morning!

"Well…this just complicates thing, doesn't it Hiashi-kun." The Hokage said as he stared at the Ambassador's face.

Hiashi just nodded his head…

**Kumogakure: 2 weeks later**

Kumogakure was literally the village hidden in the clouds. The village was built around a large range of mountains that reached the clouds. Kumo was the Hidden Village of the Land of Lightning. As one of the five Great Ninja Villages, Kumogakure has had Kage as its leader known as the Raikage since its founding. There have been four Raikage, the most recent being A.

A was the son of the Third Raikage. A was a man in his early 40s. He was a tall dark-skinned man with a large muscular build, with his blondish-white hair combed back, a small moustache and beard. His face was very distinguished with pronounced cheekbones and tear troughs under his eyes, and a prominent crease across his forehead. He had pointed canines and his top lip also has a darker hue than the bottom one; traits he inherited from his father.

Unlike other Kages, A wore his Kage cloak and hat on a regular basis without a shirt underneath, further displaying his hulking physique. He had black Fuma Shuriken tattoos on both shoulders and gold rings around his wrist and forearm. He also wore a gold belt around his waist with a boar's face engraved in the center.

He had a strict personality. He was also very easy to anger. He believed that respect and strength mean everything in the ninja world, and the weak should and would be crushed. His philosophy was that a ninja should never compromise or bow down in front of another ninja. He knew Kumo was in the wrong with the whole Hyuga incident, but he was not going to back down.

Apparently the tree-huggers gave in to his demands and sent him the person who killed his top lieutenant and his lieutenant's body. Of course those Hyuga would send a sealed corpse that was dried to the bone, but that didn't matter. What mattered was if he lost a good soldier for nothing or did his lieutenant pull though once again?

"Well?" said an impatient A.

The Kumo-nin in front of him continued his examination unperturbed by his impatient boss.

"Sir I found the seal. It seems to be intact. I'll be extracting its contents shortly." The Kumo-nin responded.

"Get on with it!" A yelled

The Kumo-nin did what he was told and extracted the 3 vials filled with fresh blood.

A smirked and looked down at his fallen Lieutenant. "You never cease to amaze me, _**Ikazuchi**_. With your sacrifice, I will bring Kumo to a new golden age." A patted the corpse's head before leaving the morgue with the Kumo-nin holding the vials.

"Get those vials to the Research and Development division as soon as possible." A ordered the Kumo-nin.

"Hai" the Kumo-nin responded and turned a corner.

A walked up to his secretary Mabui. Mabui was a dark-skinned girl with green eyes. She wore very formal attire consisting of a long sleeved, high collared dress shirt and skirt, along with a pair of long earrings and sandals. She wore her light-grey hair pulled back into a bun with two bangs that fall on either side of her face.

"Raikage-sama" Mabui greeted calmly.

Mabui always seemed to remain calm in any situation. That ability and her ability to transfer items extremely far distances made her more than enough to be qualified to be the Raikage's personal assistant.

"Mabui, I want you to schedule a Hero's funeral for _**Ikazuchi Atemi**_. He will be considered a village hero from now on." A said seriously.

"It shall be done, Raikage-sama. You have visitor waiting in your office, Raikage-sama." Mabui replied.

The Raikage raised an eyebrow at his assistant. "Oh? Who is it?"

"The Snake Sennin, Orochimaru, he is wants to discuss some things with you." Mabui responded calmly.

The Raikage tensed. Every muscle in his body seemed to tighten. He was also clenching his fists and his jaw. The last thing he needed was to be spotted with a fugitive in his office, especially a fugitive _**FROM**_ Konoha.

"Has anyone spotted him?" A asked through clenched teeth.

"He has assured me that he took extreme care in not being seen by anyone." Mabui said. She seemed to be unfazed by A's behavior. She had to admit that she would also be wary if one of the greatest traitors in history happened to be waiting in her office…

"I will see him right away. Delay all other appointments in the meantime." The Raikage ordered. His body was still tense, but he hid it under a relaxed pose.

"Of course, Raikage-sama…" Mabui muttered as she watched her boss walk into his office and slam the doors shut.

**Chapter End**

**A/N Well here is the first chapter of my new story. As you can tell, it's not as long as Kurenai Chishio Yoroi and it probably won't have 8000 word chapters. I will have longer chapters than this, but they'll be most likely in the 4000-5000 word range.**

**This story has just been rattling around my head for a while now and I wanted to write it down. The timeline is going to be jumping around a lot, but most of the story will take place after Naruto returns from his training trip with Jiraiya.**

**I hope you're excited for the next chapter and I'll be throwing in a surprise character into the mix as well. He is not an OC so don't worry about that. **

**Kyo –Seiteki Nemuri no Jutsu (Forced Sleep Technique) – pretty self-explanatory really. It puts the target in a chakra induced slumber that last as long as the user's chakra is in the target's system. No outside force can wake the target unless it was pain or another chakra entering their system**

**Fuinjutsu – sealing arts/techniques**

**Ikazuchi – Thunder**

**Atemi – Strike**

**The best part about shorter chapters means they come out faster so this story will probably update faster than KCY. **

**That's all folks, **

**Ja Ne!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello readers! How are you today/night?**

Thank you all for your support from last chapter. One review stood out the most though.

The person said that A wasn't the Raikage during the time period where the Hyuga Incident happened. I don't know if that's the case though. If someone would like to clear that up for me, I'd appreciate it. It I'm wrong so be it, but I won't change up the story to accommodate that fact if it is true.

Here is what I thought; A is the son of the third Raikage. The Third Raikage died somewhere near the middle to the end of the 3rd Shinobi War. A took the mantle of Raikage sometime around then.

The reason I think this is the timeline is because A looks the same age at his father's funeral as when he fought Minato during the war. He looked to be in his mid to late 20s when his father died. He was like in his fifties in the Shippuden Era. A 30 year gap without a Kage seems impossible especially in wartime.

A is the Yondaime Raikage so there was no intern in his place since his father was the Sandaime. Another thing is that A didn't seem phased when Yamato mentioned the Hyuga incident during his travel towards Iron country. Also personality wise, A would be more likely to order a kidnapping since he is quick to anger and impulsive at times. His father is shown to be calmer than A and thinks things through. Overall, since Kishimoto didn't give us a conclusive timeline, it's all speculative at the moment. If someone else has a theory, I'm all ears.

**I would like to thank:**

_**Hinatagirl0805, Ability King KK, Okazaki323, David x Hinata, brown phantom, LooLoo09, Arashigan16, Baka1chan, ShadowWolf Zero, Solvdrage, T-Naruto, Chewie Cookies, Mischa Rowe, Gaiseric, Hellcleaner, and devilzxknight86**_

**For reviewing \(^3^)/**

Disclaimer: I do not own _Naruto,_ I wish I did though.

"Normal"

"_Thoughts"_

"**YELLING or JUTSUS**"

**"Demon talk**"

"_**Demon Thoughts**_"

_**Father to a Blond Hyuga**_

**Chapter 2**

**Raikage's Office**

Orochimaru…a name that was synonymous with traitor…he was probably the greatest traitor in Konoha's history other than Madara Uchiha. The story was known throughout the Elemental Nations. A young man who lost his parents in one of the Shinobi Wars, he was the genius of his generation who excelled in almost everything he did. He was the prized student of the legendary "Professor", Hiruzen Sarutobi, and earned his titles as one of the Sannin and the snake sage by fighting against the "Salamander" Hanzo with his teammates Jiraiya, the toad sage, and Tsunade, the slug princess. He was even the prime candidate for the title of Yondaime Hokage…or so he thought…

It all seemed to fall apart when the Sandaime Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, his _**OWN**_ teacher, chose Jiraiya's student over him! Orochimaru had never felt so betrayed before. Sarutobi had boasted many times how Orochimaru was his prized student and would make a fine Hokage someday, but now when it was his time to take the mantle, the old monkey chooses that _**idiot**_ _**Jiraiya**_'s student over him!

If he looked at it objectively though, Orochimaru could have understood why Hiruzen chose Minato Namikaze over him. Namikaze was one of the fiercest warriors to ever grace the battlefield. He was ruthless when he needed to be, but he could be compassionate when the situation called for it. He was also a strong believer of the _**will of fire**_. He also knew how to treat the people as everyone seemed to be drawn to his charisma.

Compassion…understanding…even the _**will of fire**_…those beliefs had no place in the Shinobi world. It was a dog eat dog world where your best friend could be your worst enemy the next time you see them. _**Those**_ were Orochimaru's beliefs. Soon he stopped caring what happened to the people around him, he stopped caring about Konoha, he stopped caring about humanity.

Orochimaru started to abduct civilians of any age rather than just going after homeless people or the unwanted. He experimented on them like they were lab rats. He had no restrictions on what he would do. He had no compassion for what he was putting these people through. All he cared about was his research.

Soon his nonchalant feeling about morality caught up to him. His former teacher and his comrades had cornered him in his lab where the corpses of people were all over. The sights were truly traumatizing…some of the victims couldn't have been older than 5 years old. Some people were strung up on the walls like meat in a butcher's freezer.

Even after witnessing how far his prized student fell, Hiruzen could force himself to go all out. Orochimaru escaped and Hiruzen had to live with the stigma of allowing Orochimaru escape through his fingers. It was a mistake that came to haunt Hiruzen whenever his ex-pupil seemed to resurface.

Orochimaru had many ambitions. One of them was learning all the jutsus in the world. To accomplish that, he would need to be immortal which was another goal he set for himself. Of course that sounded crazy, but Orochimaru wouldn't be stopped by something as petty as _**logic**_!

Of course he would need a place to do his research in peace. He had been on the run for who knows how long and constantly moving was not good for his experiments. He wanted to start a hidden village that would be able to grant him some stability while building an army strong enough to crush Konoha. Starting a village was harder than he thought though…

Not only did he have to find an inconspicuous place so he wouldn't be found, he also had to find followers, materials, and resources. The first two could be gathered by having enough resources. Missing-nins were always looking for a place to stay as long as they got away from the hunter-nins and Orochimaru knew enough private contractors who would be willing to help him build the infrastructure. The only problem was money…

Since he forgot to withdraw his funding from Konoha before he left, he was practically penniless. He spent most of his time doing odd jobs or working for the Akatsuki just so he could earn enough money to continue his research. The Akatsuki gave him a stable surroundings and a place to work so long as he played ball. He would play ball with them as long as he would get paid and their goals didn't interfere with his. It was a decent amount of money he was getting for the odd jobs the Akatsuki, but he would obviously need a lot more if he wanted to start a hidden village, and that is why he was currently sitting inside the Raikage's office.

The sound of a slammed door and splitting wood alerted him that the Raikage had gotten his message. Orochimaru turned in his seat to see the Raikage staring daggers at him. If Orochimaru was any other man, he would have been intimidated, but he wasn't any ordinary man.

"Ah, Raikage-chan, it's so good to see you again. How many years has it been since our last meeting?" Orochimaru said mockingly. He had that sickly smirk adorned on his face.

"10 years, 242 days, 8 hours, 30minutes, and 7 seconds…but who is counting? You should learn your place, snake sage. Disrespecting me in my own office isn't the wisest thing to do from a man who has been praised for his intellect." A sniped back as his fist tightened.

"Kukuku…you're still as hostile as ever." Orochimaru chuckled.

"Enough pleasantries, why the hell are you in my office?" the Raikage yelled as he started to channel his chakra through his body.

Orochimaru held his hands up in surrender pose, but that smirk was still on his face. "Calm yourself, Raikage-sama. I came here to negotiate, not fight." Orochimaru said calmly.

A just snorted "What could I want from you?"

This time it was Orochimaru's turn to snort as he stood up to face the Raikage. "My sources within Konoha say that you have acquired some interesting genes as compensation for losing one of your _**finest**_ soldiers." Orochimaru said in a mocking tone.

A's fist clenched, but he still replied calmly, "Yes, we acquired a Hyuga corpse, but they made sure that it was drained of blood, shaved clean, and had his eyes sealed. In a sense, all we got was a corpse."

"Kukuku, I wasn't talking about _**those**_ genes…" Orochimaru finished menacingly. The smirk on his face seemed even more demonic than before.

The Raikage seemed to freeze. _"How?" _was the only question that was running through his head? He hadn't even found about the vials until a couple of minutes ago.

"Surprised? Don't be…" Orochimaru said smoothly as he gracefully sat back into the chair. "I have men deep within Konoha." He said as he examined his nails.

"Some may or may not have some connections to the doctors who did the autopsy. My spy recognized the seal and saw what was in it before he resealed it for you. My, my…the quality of Shinobi in Konoha has drastically declined since I left, don't you agree, Raikage-sama?" Orochimaru said in that ever smooth and mocking tone.

"I-I don't know what you are talking about!" A denied

"How cute, you're in denial…Look I know everything and I have enough proof that would ignite another war with Konoha right now." All mirth was gone from his voice as Orochimaru stared at A.

"You're bluffing." A responded

"Am I?" Orochimaru replied smoothly as his smirk reappeared on his face.

It seemed like hours as the two men stared each other down. They were looking like two animals ready to pounce at each other. They were searching for any sign of weakness within the other. Finally the Raikage backed down.

"What do want to stay quiet?" the Raikage relented.

"Kukuku…was that so hard?" Orochimaru said in an amused tone. He stood up and looked out the window so he could glance at the village hidden in the clouds.

"I want…this." Orochimaru spread his arms out in gesture.

A seemed stunned. "You…you want Kumogakure?"

"HA! Don't make me laugh. I'm not interested in little girls like most people in your barbaric village. This isn't even your first attempt, is it? I remember now, you also tried to kidnap that little spitfire redhead, Kushina Uzumaki. You would think you would have learned your lesson from then…" Orochimaru said mockingly as he made the "get-on-with-it" hand gesture.

It was also a clever plan on the Raikage as well. If the Raikage doubted him before, he wouldn't now since he spilled a little secret that was thought to be buried for years.

"No, you can keep your barbaric village. I only want two things from you." Orochimaru finished.

"What do you want?" asked the Raikage.

He was angry and afraid, angry because this man was insulting his village right in front of him, and scared because the man also knew his village's secrets. He couldn't even try to attack him since he was a Sannin. Orochimaru was the sneakiest of the Sannin. Who knows what tricks he would have up his sleeves?

"First, I want you to supply funding for the village I am building. I need a more permanent residence and I have a place in mind. All I need is the money to build it." Orochimaru said as he continued to stare at the mountain range that surrounded Kumogakure.

"How will I explain this to the treasurer? I wouldn't be able to explain the loss of funds without explaining your involvement which is that last thing I want to do." The Raikage replied sharply.

Orochimaru waved his hands dismissively. "I've already thought about that, you say you'll be hiring a new branch in your R&D division and say that is where the funding is going. This also brings me up to my second demand. I'm sure you'll agree to it once you hear it…kukuku."

"What is it?" A said through clenched teeth. Orochimaru was such an infuriating man. He didn't know how much longer he could hold his anger down.

"I would like to _**assist**_ you on your little Hyuga project. Now before you decline, as if you had a choice, I feel that I should remind you that I am one of the best scientists in the Elemental Lands and I have gathered some of the best there is to assist me. I would like to assign one of my disciples to overlook your project." Orochimaru paused before looking at A to gauge his reaction.

"I can guarantee results." Orochimaru concluded with a smirk.

"Guarantee, how would you make a guarantee on this?" asked a perplexed Raikage.

"Come now, Raikage-chan, you can't trust me? I mean we're technically allies now." Orochimaru chuckled at A's murderous look.

"If my men and I can't provide you with results, then I'll just steal an unsealed Hyuga for you." Orochimaru said seriously.

"W-What?" said a flabbergasted A.

"I said I'll just steal one for you. Unlike you, I have connections in Konoha already. It wouldn't be as difficult for me. I haven't tried anything before because, to be honest, the Hyuga Clan bores me. Their dojutsu seems run of the mill to me. The Sharingan is much more enticing in my opinion." Orochimaru said offhandedly.

The Raikage sat down in his chair and seemed to be in deep thought. Even though Orochimaru was a traitor and a bottom feeder, he was still the best when it came to human research…even if his methods were a _**bit**_ unethical…

"Will you be overseeing the project or will one of your lackeys?" A questioned

"I have other priorities than to manipulate a couple cells into a full human being. I will be sending one of my top men to take care of this. He is quite skilled when it comes to developing something out of nothing." Orochimaru said as he combed a hand through his long black hair.

"I don't know whether I should be relieved or not. I'm glad I won't have to see your ugly mug around here, but I worried about what psycho you're sending me." A said apprehensively.

"So do we have a deal?" Orochimaru asked as he seemingly ignored the insult.

What would a man in A's position do? He felt like he was making a deal with the devil. He knew he was going to regret it, but did he really have a choice? He was backed into a corner…

"Yes, we have a deal…" A concluded

For once, Orochimaru didn't say anything; instead he stuck out his hand. A hesitated at first, but he grabbed Orochimaru's hand and shook on it.

"I will send my disciple over in a week with a written contract. You will sign it to formally agree to our terms." Orochimaru said as he released the Raikage's hand.

"Oh, by the way, you should really file your nails, Raikage-chan." Orochimaru smirked and watched as the fury the man held in through the whole meeting was finally unleashed.

"OROCHIMARU" A yelled as he leaped over his desk and delivered a deadly haymaker to the smirking Sannin's face.

A's satisfaction disappeared when "Orochimaru" disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"K-kage Bunshin?" A said flabbergasted.

"Such a temper, Raikage-chan….don't worry I won't let this mishap get in the way of our business. My disciple will be here in a week." Orochimaru's disembodied voice echoed all over.

"Wait! How will I know it's him!" A yelled and searched for Orochimaru.

Kukuku…you'll know him when you see him. Farewell, Raikage-chan…" Orochimaru's voice disappeared from the room.

"What the hell did I just get myself into…?" A whispered to himself

**Hills outside Kumogakure**

"Orochimaru, are you done yet? You know how much I hate waiting…" a deep gruff voice sounded. It came from a hunch-back man wearing a cloak with black and red clouds.

Orochimaru stood up from his meditation pose and looked down on his companion. Like the hunch-backed man, Orochimaru was wearing a long cloak with red clouds embroidered into it.

"I know, Sasori-san, but it seems that I got what I came for…kukuku…" Orochimaru chuckled.

"What was so important that we had to rush all the way to Kumogakure?" Sasori asked.

"It was nothing that concerns you or the Akatsuki. It was just a bit of…_**fundraising**_…" Orochimaru said with a shrug and a smirk.

"Why didn't you just ask Kakuzu? He usually handles all our financial issues." Sasori replied.

Orochimaru snorted. "Like hell I would let that glorified ragdoll handle my money! He probably is ripping you guys off by shaving off the change and demanding a banker fee with interest…"

"Hmm, you may have a point…I better check my account after this…" Sasori replied as the duo walked off.

**1 Week Later: Kumogakure**

A and his entourage was waiting for Orochimaru's men to arrive. He was the only one who knew they were Orochimaru's men and he would like to keep it that way. Orochimaru gave him a code phrase to identify his members when they arrived.

Soon a caravan consisting of 5 men and a cart of what looked like lab equipment came to through the gates of Kumogakure. The leader of the men was a middle aged with white hair. His hair was shoulder-length, and tied as a ponytail. The white-haired man had red eyes and dressed in an over-sized, high-collared coat wrapped with three leather straps.

The man walked up to the Raikage and his bodyguards. "Even if a snake is not poisonous-"

"-it should pretend to be venomous." The man concluded the pass phrase.

"I see you are the men I hired." A said simply.

"You are correct Raikage-sama, but before we start, you must fill out the paperwork." The man held out a pen and a clipboard to the Raikage.

A muttered under his breath before signing the papers and then snapped the pen into two.

The Man's eye twitched a bit at the needless action. "That was my favorite pen…"

"Yeah whatever, I signed the stupid papers. You work for me now." A replied arrogantly.

"Do you know why you never disrespect your waiters or chefs?" the man said ominously.

"I don't see how this has to do with anything, but no I don't. Why?" A asked.

"Because they spit in your food if they do. You may be my employer now, but that doesn't make me your slave. I am here to complete our contract and nothing more." The man replied coldly.

"Who are you?" A demanded.

The man walked back to his cart before he looked over his shoulder. "My name is Hiruko and it would be best to stay out of my way. My experiments tend to leave property damage." Hiruko said with the same smirk as Orochimaru.

Hiruko walked back to the Raikage. The two men continued to stare at each other for a bit before A broke eye contact first. Whoever this man was, he was not to be messed with.

Hiruko smiled. "I'm glad we understand each other. Now, where may we set up?"

**Chapter End**

**A/N Woohoo! Another chapter done! Next chapter will be half about Hiruko's experiments then the other half will shift perspective to Naruto after the failed Uchiha recovery mission…the first one.**

**I hoped I portrayed everyone in character. It is somewhat difficult to write about two equally stubborn men who don't know how to back down. **

**I was kind of scared I wouldn't get this chapter out since Hurricane Irene passed through my town. Everything is okay though and my house didn't lose any power or flooded. That goodness for that. However my backyard had a glass table that shattered sometime during the storm. I sliced up my hand pretty bad cleaning it up. It's nothing serious, but it is uncomfortable to type with my left hand right now so I'm just sticking with my right hand for now.**

**Hiruko – He is not an OC! I don't know what my problem is with OCs. Whenever I make an OC, they usually last only a paragraph before I kill them off. I prefer to take characters from movies and fillers because then the reader now has a visualization of the person without me having to go in depth about their appearance. Hiruko is the main antagonist in the third Naruto Shippuden movie: Inheritors of the Will of Fire.**

**That's all folks! I'll be working on KCY now so expect a new chapter for it sometime this week, unless something strange comes up.**

**Ja Ne**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello readers! Welcome to another installment of FtaBH.**

**I forgot to mention this before, but things will be following canon, but there will be twists to it. I don't think people would like rereading the same thing as canon. That just seems boring. Everything so far has been going the same as canon with Naruto and Co. There will be a divergent from canon, and I'll tell you when.**

**I'd like to thank:**

_**HiNaru Aburame, Mischa Rowe, Lord Anubis Judge of the dead, Chewie Cookies, brown phantom, CJ Snow, Solvdrage, Trilonias, devilzxkinght86, T-Naruto, Ability King KK, and Arashigan16.**_

**For reviewing \(^O^)/**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, but Hinata has informed me of her plans to own him in the future…it revolves around a ramen cake…

"Normal"

"_Thoughts"_

"**YELLING or JUTSUS**"

**"Demon talk**"

"_**Demon Thoughts**_"

_**Father to a Blond Hyuga**_

**Chapter 3**

**Flashback: 5 Years Ago**

The life as a Missing-nin was not all guts and glory as some might describe it to be. Actually, those who would characterize the Life of a Missing-nin like that have probably never been a Missing-nin or they are bat-shit insane with a very deluded, yet optimistic, view on life. The reason the person might be a Missing-nin is a moot point because in the end, that person will be hunted like a wild animal.

That is what it basically boils down too. The missing-nin is the prey to the vicious hunter-nins from where they hail. Any moment could be your last. Was that snapping sound a simple animal or was it an ambush? Was my scent washed away by the rain last night? Did I hide my tracks well enough? These are the type of questions that plague the Nin's mind every day. Some men can't handle the pressure and eventually snap. Others become complacent and careless which also leads to their downfall.

There is also the financial issue one must deal with if they become a Missing-nin. The higher paid jobs usually were the riskiest since the contractor could choose to eliminate you to have his/her investment. The jobs were never easy and you were basically a mercenary for hire. Some men accept that fact and move on in their new roles in life…but others…choose to not to accept their fate as second class citizens.

Hiruko was one of those men. He was born in Konoha and grew up there. He befriended the now legendary Sannin, Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya. Unlike his legendary friends, he had no ninja skills whatsoever and a frail body to boot. He was fated to live in the shadows of his friends since his birth, but Hiruko couldn't accept that. He worked long and hard doing experiments to transcend the human body and mind. If he couldn't improve his own body through hard work, then he would improve it through the power of science.

Soon his hard work paid off when he created a prototype version of his ultimate technique; The _**Kimera no Jutsu (Chimera Technique).**_ It was originally meant to combine separate living bodies of organisms into one combined organism bearing the original characteristics of the organisms, and therefore create a synthetic body. It worked to an extent as it would absorb the physical characteristics or the victim, but only partially. Before he could develop it any further though, the Sandaime Hokage discovered his research and ordered his friends, the Sannin, the assassinate him.

Whether if it was true or not did not matter, all Hiruko knew was that his life was in danger and he had to run, thus making him a missing-nin. He spent years just hiding and waiting while trying to tweak his Kimera no Jutsu. It was a lot harder since he never had a base or operations or a lot of money. He never abandoned it, but he definitely didn't have the time to improve it…until _**he**_ found him.

Hiruko was currently living in a small cave somewhere in Demon Country. The dense forest and the frequent rain showers made Demon Country a safe haven for missing-nins. The lack of Shinobi and hidden villages was also an added plus. The cave Hiruko walled himself in was said to be haunted so most villagers stayed away. The fool-hardy ones who ventured into the cave never returned thus increasing the myth.

The truth was that Hiruko would corner the unfortunate victim and incapacitate them. He would then use them like human guinea pigs for his experiments. Many treasure hunters and foolish villagers all became victims to Hiruko's research. That is until a person from his past resurfaced…

Hiruko was carefully mixing two vials of components together. He saw so into his work that he didn't notice the snakes that were slithering towards him until it was too late.

"What the hell?" Hiruko exclaimed as the snakes circled him.

"Kukuku…it's good to see you again, _**old friend**_." A voice echoed through the cave.

Hiruko could recognize that voice from anywhere…

"Orochimaru…" Hiruko whispered to himself, but the snake Sennin heard it loud and clear.

"Such a dwelling is quite unfit for a man of your character, is it not, Hiruko-kun?" Orochimaru mocked.

"If you're here to kill me, then do it already! I have neither the time nor patience to listen to your faux-concern." Hiruko responded calmly. He accepted the concept of death a long time ago, but he continued on in the name of science.

"I'm hurt, Hiruko-kun. You thought I was here to kill you? I don't want to kill you; in fact I'm here to offer you a proposition." Orochimaru said smoothly as he glided out of the shadows of the cave.

"Proposition, why would you offer me anything? You were given orders by you beloved sensei to kill me." Hiruko said.

"Kukuku…You obviously haven't heard then…I was exiled from Konoha for the same reason you were. Those cretins discovered my labs and _**experiments.**_ You see, my dear Hiruko-kun, Konoha frowns on people like us. They don't see the greatness we can accomplish and only look at the methods _**we**_ use to provide _**them**_ with strength."

Orochimaru moved over towards Hiruko's work lab and fiddled around with a beaker of green liquid.

"If I say a couple of missing-nins died today and we should use their bodies to gather secrets from them, nobody panics… Actually that is the standard procedure for Information Divisions in all villages, but if I say one little worthless civilian is going to be sacrificed in a project, everyone loses their minds. They don't understand the sacrifice was for their sakes, not ours." Orochimaru finished

"What is one life matter when more can be saved? Sacrifices have to be made if we want to evolve into something greater." Hiruko summarized.

Orochimaru smirked at his one-time friend. "I'm glad we share the same philosophy, Hiruko-kun. That is why I sought you out. It would be a waste of your talents to be working here in this dilapidated cavern."

"What are you offering, Orochimaru?" Hiruko asked. His suspicions weren't gone, but they were placated at the moment.

"I'm currently gathering followers so I can make my own Hidden Village, a Hidden Village that will be strong enough to crush Konoha once and for all. I'm also searching for the best scientists from all over to help me with some certain projects. I offer them wealth and a place to work without having to worry about moral or ethical issues and in return, I ask for their loyalty and help in the future." Orochimaru concluded.

"This sounds too good to be true." Hiruko said. It really did. Hiruko knew this was one of his closest friends, but he was also his would-be assassin. He didn't know if he should trust Orochimaru or not.

Orochimaru just waved off his suspicion. "Come now, Hiruko-kun, what would I gain from tricking you? I'm probably the most wanted man in the Elemental Lands and we both have a deep seated grudge on Konoha. Wouldn't it be in both our best interest to work together?" Orochimaru said convincingly.

"Well yes, when you put it that way…" Hiruko relented.

"I can even help you with your Jutsu you are developing. I remember at one point you wanted it to be able to absorb kekkai genkai from others. I have been researching a similar technique. Maybe we could trade information?" Orochimaru said innocently enough, but the smirk on his face was 100% sinister.

Hiruko hesitated a bit before he started to think over everything he just heard. There were very few cons compared to the pros in Orochimaru's offer. Also he was always closer to Orochimaru than he was with Jiraiya and Tsunade. They did always have a scientific respect for each other…

"Okay, I accept your proposal…Orochimaru-sama…" Hiruko said as he bowed.

Orochimaru just smirked and patted Hiruko on his shoulder when he stood back up.

**Flashback: End**

The next five years were amazing for Hiruko. He was given his own hidden lab in Rice Country where he could work without any interruptions. He was given some of the best equipment. He was pleasantly surprised when Orochimaru gave him some notes about a body switching technique that Orochimaru was developing. It was only in its beginning stages, but it had a lot of potential. The technique was similar to Hiruko's technique in the sense that the user is absorbing the target; however both techniques did it differently.

While Hiruko's Kimera no Jutsu absorbed the target into himself, Orochimaru's technique allowed Orochimaru to go inside his target and assimilate him like a parasite. It was a fascinating concept, in Hiruko's opinion, but it seemed impossible until Orochimaru showed him the Curse Seal of Heaven.

The Curse Seal of Heaven was another project Orochimaru had been working on. He, for the most part, declared it complete even though it had only a 10% chance of working. What the Curse seal did was it would inject part of Orochimaru's soul into the victim's body. The more the user would use the seal, the more their mind would corrode and eventually their mind would become weak enough for Orochimaru's conscious to take over.

The two techniques seemed to reflect the creator's mentality too. Hiruko's was fast and clean. It was like his no nonsense personality. Orochimaru's technique liked to toy with its prey before striking at their weakest moment. Both men were able to improve their respective techniques with the other's research.

Hiruko learned to accept his role as Orochimaru's underling since Orochimaru hadn't led him astray like he thought he would. So when Orochimaru ordered Hiruko to work on a project in Kumo, Hiruko had no reason to object.

Once he was briefed on what he was doing, Hiruko had to contain his excitement. Orochimaru knew him too well…Hiruko was always fascinated in cloning ever since he heard the stories of his Sannin friends and their techniques.

If a Shinobi could create a perfect clone of them out of chakra, then it shouldn't be impossible for a scientist to create a clone of a person through their DNA. The Raikage didn't care about the process as long as he got his precious Byakugan.

Disgusting, was the only word that came to Hiruko's mind when it came to the muscle-bound oaf. He lacked patience and finesse while barking orders like a wild dog. That seemed to be the only downside of his new job in Kumo. Sadly, it wouldn't be his last problem he would occur.

**10 Years Later**

It had been ten arduous years for Hiruko. His initial excitement for the cloning project withered away with every failure. He didn't understand what he was doing wrong. He was able to synthesize and replicate the Hyuga blood so he didn't have to worry about running out, but when it came to making an actual physical body, he was stumped.

He ventured through every possibility available to him, but nothing worked. He tried gene splicing, but that didn't work when the host rejected the Hyuga blood and the host's immune system destroyed it. He tried replicating it and he was to form a female egg, but it couldn't become fertilized so that was another dead end. Eventually he was able to create a fertile egg, but the fetus would only last about three days before it would die.

Hiruko needed to come up with something and fast. The Raikage was breathing down his neck and he wasn't producing any results. Eventually, Hiruko found himself in Kumogakure's Library searching for who knows what. He accidently found two books that could possibly provide him with a solution. The first book was about the Bijuus. He read everything about the Ichibi all the way down to the Kyubi. He was fascinated in what happened when humans were exposed to demon chakra and made a mental not about it for later.

The second book was about an obscure clan that originated in _**Uzushiogakure (Village Hidden in the Whirlpools)**_. Apparently they were known for their sealing arts and longevity. Hiruko sighed. If only he knew an Uzumaki who was also a Jinchuriki. That person would be the key he needed to surpass the obstacle in his way and then he could finally leave Kumogakure!

Hiruko laughed to himself, an Uzumaki jinchuriki…he had a better chance finding Santa Claus in his chimney.

A few days went by before Hiruko got a message from his friend Orochimaru. It was a standard thing; Orochimaru would send a message every month to see Hiruko's progress while checking in on him. This letter was different though. It was filled with curses and exclamation marks. Apparently a boy stopped him from getting his arms healed by Tsunade. What caught Hiruko's interest was that the boy's last name was Uzumaki.

Hiruko sent a couple letters to inquire about this Uzumaki. From what Orochimaru said, he wasn't that impressive. He was a loud mouth idiot who wore neon-orange clothing. He was a braggart with no skills to back them up and he was the dead-last of his year. Just as Hiruko was about to write the worthless Uzumaki off, Orochimaru dropped the bomb on him.

"_He's also the Jinchuriki for the Kyubi no Yoko…"_ Hiruko read that line over and over and over again until he was sure his mind wasn't playing tricks on him. Hiruko would have never guessed that his wishes would actually be granted.

Hiruko decided he would look more into this Uzumaki boy even though Orochimaru said it was a waste of time. What Hiruko learned truly perplexed him. What Orochimaru said was true, but the boy was still able to defeat the Inuzuka matron's son, the Hyuga's prodigy, and even the Ichibi jinchuriki!

The boy didn't make any sense to the logical mind. He was the dead-last who failed his graduation test three times, yet he still became a ninja. He couldn't make a regular bunshin, but he could create 100 _**solid**_ kage bunshins on a whim! He dressed in eye offending clothes, but he was still able to hide from Konoha's finest Shinobi. The boy seemed to be a living enigma.

The more Hiruko looked at the boy's file, the more he became annoyed. This Naruto Uzumaki couldn't be judged by looking at hid record. Hiruko knew he would need this boy to complete his experiment, but how would he get the boy into Kumo. From Orochimaru's last letter, the boy was apparently Jiraiya's new apprentice.

Hiruko sighed. "I'm going to have to see that muscle bound oaf…" he whispered to himself.

**Raikage's Office**

A was not a patient man, far from it actually. Unlike his father, he lacked patience. That being said, he was oddly patient with Hyuga project. Once _**Otogakure (Village Hidden in the Sound)**_ was built, Orochimaru released him from paying his debt, but kept the scientist in Kumo. A didn't complain, it was like free labor and any break through would be welcomed. To be honest, A had more important matters to deal with rather than watch an embryo float in a jar.

Imagine his surprise when the top scientist ran into his office saying he has a clue how to complete the decade long project.

"I'm 99.99% sure this will work, Raikage-sama." Hiruko said calmly.

"How can you be sure, Hiruko?" A asked as he steeple his fingers.

"From my research on Demon chakra, the demon chakra would be able to heal and rebuild the fetus into a living creature. The problem is that it would shorten the fetus's life expectancy drastically. That is why the Uzumaki boy will come into play. As you know, The Uzumaki had incredibly long life spans. There have been some records saying they could live up to 250 years old!" Hiruko ranted.

"I am well aware of the Uzumaki bloodline trait; we tried to capture one before. Her name was Kushina Uzumaki. She was the only Uzumaki in Konoha that I know of. Apparently this Naruto is her son, let me see his picture." A stated calmly

Hiruko was surprised by A's calmness, but agreed none the less. Once A was handed the picture, his whole body tensed up. This did not elude Hiruko's vision.

"Raikage-sama, is there something wrong?" Hiruko asked.

"This boy…I've seen his face before…it can't be…" A muttered to himself

"Raikage-sama?" Hiruko raised an eyebrow at the man.

"This boy looks like Minato Namikaze, the Yellow Flash! I would recognize that name anywhere!" A said as he pointed at Naruto's picture.

Hiruko was about to call A an idiot, but then he thought about it. "From what Orochimaru-sama told me, he said that Minato Namikaze only spent his time with Kushina Uzumaki when he was a teen and early adult. Also this boy, Naruto, he is the Jinchuriki of the Kyubi…" Hiruko trailed off.

A's head snapped towards Hiruko. "Did you say he was a jinchuriki?"

"Yes I did, why?" Hiruko questioned. To his surprise, A just laughed.

"Minato Namikaze you sacrificial fool. The man must have sealed the Kyubi within his own son. Hmph, when Jiraiya said he was the child of prophecy, I knew he was just spewing a load of shit…" A said more to himself than to Hiruko.

"Child of prophecy?" Hiruko questioned.

"Hmph, don't worry about that. So now that we know of this boy, what do we do about him, eliminate him?" A said with a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"NO! I need him alive. He is the perfect candidate to complete the project since he is a male Uzumaki Jinchuriki." Hiruko said.

"Why not use my brother, Killer Bee? Isn't the Hachibi just as good as the Kyubi?" asked A.

"First of all, the Hachibi isn't on the same level as the Kyubi. Each Tail is exponentially stronger than the next so no the Hachibi is NOT on the same level as the Kyubi. Secondly, there is a chance the container might die and accidentally release his Bijuu. Even though the Kyubi is stronger, I would feel safer with Bee-sama and Yugito-san on our side rather than just having Yugito-san go against the Hachibi." Hiruko said seriously.

"Also there might be an off chance that the boy or his offspring could learn the _**Hiraishin no Jutsu (Flying Thunder God Technique)**_." Hiruko said offhandedly. He knew the chances of them learning the Hiraishin was small, but it made his project that more enticing.

A leaned back into his chair. If Kumo had those that technique, they could take over the elemental lands. He smirked at this thought.

"So…we when should we capture him?" A questioned

Hiruko smirked. "Orochimaru-sama's spies in Konoha say he is departing for a three year training trip with the Toad Sage, Jiraiya, in 1 month. Anytime within those three years would be beneficial." Hiruko responded as he walked out of the office.

"Hmm, Jiraiya is teaching the boy…If I didn't believe he was Namikaze's son before, I do now…" A thought to himself

"Mabui, send for my top Hunter-nins as soon as possible." A said into his intercom

"Right away, Raikage-sama."

**Konoha Hospital**

"Achoo!" a blonde boy wrapped in bandages sneezed. "Ugh, I thought I couldn't feel any worse, than I do now…" the boy whispered to himself.

"_Chidori!"_

"_Rasengan!"_

The sound of the two jutsus colliding with each other kept echoing in his mind. Every time he thought about it, the worse he felt. He had failed. He fell to his friend's taunting and pulled his attack at the last moment and hoped his friend would do the same. His friend didn't…He felt his friend pierce his chest with his attack. He felt his life slipping away.

"_Why Sasuke, why did you abandon us?" _The boy thought. It didn't make any sense, why did he leave? He had everything! He had money, power, and love! He had everything, and he threw it all away! The more he thought about it, the angrier the boy got.

"**Why did you hold back?" **A deep and malicious voice echoed in the boy's voice.

The boy sighed and closed his eyes. The next minute he entered a sewer there was a metal gate separating the boy from a large fox with nine-tails.

"Like you would understand…" The boy said defiantly towards the fox.

The fox roared with enough force to knock the boy over.

"**SHOW SOME RESPECT, **_**NINGEN (HUMAN)!**_ **If it wasn't for me, you would be a lifeless corpse at the feet of your so called best friend!"** The fox snarled.

"So what, you did it to save your own life! You don't give a shit what I do!" The boy yelled back.

To his surprise, the fox just sighed and sat down. He looked at the boy in what could only be described as pity.

"**You know, brat, I've actually been here the whole time with since you were born. I've watched everything you've done. There are time when I can say I was somewhat proud you were my container, like when you fought for your mate with the pale eyes and when you conquered the Ichibi container…" **the fox complimented.

Naruto was surprised that the fox said anything nice to him at all. He didn't even notice that he called Hinata his mate…

The Fox's eyes turned colder then, "**But there are times like this where you are a disgrace to your own kind. You have spent years making a mockery of yourself and indirectly me as well. Your pitiful attempts to gain recognition have blinded you to the cold hard truth."**

Well so much for the nice fox… "And what truth is that?" Naruto said sarcastically.

The fox ignored Naruto's attitude and answered him earnestly. **"The truth is you, Naruto Uzumaki, are their puppet. You are their play thing to be used for their amusement and then thrown away once your value is up."** The fox said coldly.

"T-That's not true!" Naruto yelled out.

The fox seemed amused by Naruto's denial**. "So you don't believe, huh. Well answer me this, can you name anytime your **_**best friend**_** and your **_**love**_** interest ever did something nice for you just because?"**

"HA! That's an easy one! They fed me when I was tied to the pole for our bell test!" Naruto said triumphantly.

"**Wrong!"** Kyubi said calmly.

"WHAT?" Naruto exclaimed.

"**I said you were wrong. You may not know this, but I can sense negative emotions around me. The Uchiha had figured out the test on his own and knew it was about teamwork. I sensed the scent of deceit on him at that moment. He fed you so he could pass the test. He didn't want you to be a liability. The pink-haired banshee just followed suit like the good little Uchiha bitch that she is." **The fox concluded.

"Don't talk about Sakura-chan like that!" Naruto said angrily.

"**WHY THE HELL NOT? NAME ONE GOOD THING SHE HAS DONE FOR YOU…EVER? SHE SENT YOU TO RETRIEVE THE UCHIHA BECAUSE SHE WAS TOO PITIFUL TO DO IT HERSELF AND LIKE THE LITTLE LAPDOG YOU ARE, YOU OBEYED WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT!"** Kyubi shouted at Naruto.

Naruto was struck speechless. As much as he wanted to yell that the fox was wrong, he couldn't deny anything the fox said.

"You…you just wouldn't understand." Naruto whispered.

"**You have already forgotten that I have been with you since you were born. I have seen and experienced everything you have. You are pathetic, end of story. No matter how much power I would give you, you will still squander it on lost causes. Tell me, Naruto, what would you have expected if you had dragged the Uchiha back? Would you have expected that pink-haired human to praise you and accept your disgusting declarations of companionship? Did you expect your Uchiha to thank you and everything go back to the way it was?"** The Kyubi inquired.

Kyubi then asked a question that stumped Naruto. **"Would you have been okay with everything going back to the way it was? Would you be okay with the Uchiha getting a free pass, like he always does, while you would have been executed on the spot? Would you accept that, or would you become disgusted and bitter because of it?"**

"I-I don't know. I-I mean I was hoping things would go back to normal…" Naruto trailed off.

"**Normal…nor…mal…NORMAL? WHAT PART OF YOUR LIFE HAS EVER BEEN NORMAL? YOU WANTED TO BE BACK IN THE UCHIHA'S SHADOW AND THE PINK-HAIRED HUMAN'S PUNCHING BAG? IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT?"** Kyubi roared at him.

"No, no that's not what I wanted I just…I don't know what I wanted!" Naruto said desperately.

"**Hmph, you are truly such a waste. You have the power to change the world if you wanted, yet you choose to be a slave to others. It disgusts me, but what truly disgusts me is that you are hiding from yourself. You say things that you don't mean. You act in ways that you know are purposefully wrong yet you continue to do it just to please people who will never appreciate you."** Kyubi looked like he was going to say more, but then he broke out a very sinister grin that sent chills down Naruto's spine.

"**I can see that words won't be enough to convince you. Luckily you are in for a rather rude awakening."** Kyubi said ominously.

Before Naruto could ask what, he was forcefully removed from his mindscape. He opened his eyes and saw that he was still in his Hospital room. He sat there and contemplated everything the fox said until he noticed his door open slowly.

"S-Sakura-chan?" Naruto questioned.

"Naruto…" She said. Her face was unreadable, but her eyes contained so many emotions, none of them good…So this is what the Kyubi meant…

**Chapter End**

**A/N yes I am evil for ending it here. }:D**

**Next chapter is probably going to be quite…volatile…I think…?**

**I never really thought about it, but Orochimaru and Hiruko are very similar in some aspects. Go figure. I hope my explanation was good enough for why it had to be Naruto. Congrats to C.J. Snow for guessing it. **

**BTW, this is where things go off from canon. Well, things haven't been exactly canon from the start it's more like modified canon.**

**I want to thank everyone who responded with their theories about the whole Raikage timeline. Last chapter basically confirmed that A was the Raikage since his father died fighting 1000 shinobi for 3 straight days. I don't know about you, but that is bad-ass! The Sandaime Raikage definitely has my respect unlike A. Actually I think all the revived Kages are cool. Mu is a bad-ass and the Mizukage is hilarious.**

**Well that's all folks, till next chapter! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello readers! Welcome to another installment of FtaBH.**

**Hey I would just like to address one thing before this chapter. Some have stated that I'm taking this at a too slow pace and I would like to apologize for that. I am making an effort to speed things up without it seeming rushed so bear with me for a bit.**

**I'd like to thank: **

_**Spiritwolf35, hinatagirl0805, Trilonias, Chris Uzumaki-sensei, brown phantom, Mischa Rowe, devilzxknight86, Chewie Cookies, InARealPickle, naruto2829, mel72000, vash3055, Lord Anubis Judge of the dead, Baka1chan, hello131, second-stooge, aegisZero, and Ability King KK**_

**For reviewing \ (^O^) /**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto; I do wish I owned a rasenshuriken yoyo though. That would be awesome. :D

**WARNING: **_there is Sakura Bashing in this chapter. I am sorry if you are offended by it, but here is a fair warning ahead of time_**.**

"Normal"

"_Thoughts"_

"**YELLING or JUTSUS**"

**"Demon talk**"

"_**Demon Thoughts**_"

_**Father to a Blond Hyuga**_

**Chapter 4**

**Konoha Hospital: Naruto's room**

Something bad was going to happen, Naruto concluded. Most of the time, people would think he was a dense, thickskulled, unaware idiot, but that was an incorrect judgment of him…_most of the time_. There were obvious moments where Naruto was truly not paying attention, but there are also time where he can spot out things others could not. Unfortunately, he happened to notice the foul mood Sakura was in.

While her face was completely void of expression, her body was tense. Each muscle seemed contracted and ready to strike. Her jaw was clenched shut and her fists were held tightly to her sides. Her whole body language screamed of anger and Naruto cursed himself for not finding an escape route.

The thing that disturbed Naruto the most was her eyes. Those emerald eyes that he thought looked pretty were now a sickly looking green that was tainted with rage and anger. The worst part was she wasn't looking _**at**_ him, but _**through**_ him. It was like he didn't exist in her eyes and that sent chills down Naruto's spine.

"How are you feeling, Naruto?" Sakura asked, but Naruto could tell by her tone that she didn't care about his response.

"Um, I'm ah…I'm okay…" Naruto fumbled for an answer.

There was an awkward silence where Sakura continued to stare at Naruto while Naruto wished she would do anything. Hell he'd even wish she's hit just to regain a sense of normalcy…

"_**What part of your life has ever been normal…?" **_Kyubi's words continued to ring around his mind.

"So…he got away…" Sakura final said as she continued to stare through Naruto.

"…Yeah…but I tried my best! We all did!" Naruto defended.

The fire in Sakura's eyes seemed to double in size and Naruto heard the sound of her knuckles popping…Naruto braced himself for the incoming shit-storm that was inbound.

Oddly enough, it never came…Sakura just gave a resigned sigh and started to stare out the window.

"I don't blame you, Naruto…" Sakura said.

"You…you don't?" Naruto said with a smidge of hope in his voice.

Sakura turned her piercing gaze towards Naruto's cerulean eyes. He saw that she was lying. Her eyes were filled with scorn and rage that accused him for every misfortune that has happened.

"I don't blame you, Naruto, because I never should have put my faith in you in the first place." Sakura said tersely.

Ouch…Naruto could feel his heart shatter at those words. He just looked at this Sakura…It was a far-cry from the girl who he admired. This one was scornful and filled with rage compared to the one he knew…

"_Or was that just my idealized version…"_ Naruto thought to himself. Naruto's eyes widened at his own thoughts…Did he really like Sakura, or did he like the concept of her? Was this the _**real**_ Sakura that he chose to ignore so his fantasy version could exist?

"**I see you are finally opening your eyes, ningen…" **Kyubi's dark chuckles echoed through his mind and Naruto involuntarily winced.

Sakura seemed oblivious to Naruto's inner war and continued her rant.

"I don't know why I believed in you. Sasuke-kun was rookie of the year, and you…you were just a pathetic dead-last orphan who just scraped by. You never stood a chance against someone of his caliber. It was a waste to even think that you could do _**anything**_ right." Sakura said coldly.

Each word Sakura said felt like a cold dagger to his heart. She didn't even believe in him…It was such a painful feeling…hearing your crush say you're worthless.

"Why are you even a ninja? You dress in that godly awful orange jumpsuit and you are just an overconfident idiot! Do us all a favor and just quit! No one wants you and no one believes in your stupid dream to become Hokage! If you became Hokage, I'd defect to another village!"

Now he was sure that this was the true Sakura. He saw that every word she said she meant. The idealized Sakura seemed to shatter to pieces like the remnants of his heart.

"Once I saw the roster of those who went on the mission, I knew your brigade of losers wouldn't succeed." Sakura continued.

Naruto's head shot up at Sakura's words. It was one thing to demean him, but never his friends.

"What?" Naruto whispered dangerously.

Sakura seemed to ignore his question and continued her rant. "I mean look at the people Tsunade-sama sent out! Kiba…Shikamaru…CHOJI! What was she thinking? All of you were complete losers fighting for the dead-last position in the academy. The only person who might have stood a chance was Neji, but he lost to you so he must have been pathetic." Sakura didn't notice Naruto's fist and jaw clenching tightly.

"Kiba was probably playing with his putrid puppy. He would rather hang out with his dog rather than take a shower. He's probably the only person, if you can even consider him a person, who might be as dumb and brainless as you."

Naruto and Kiba may not have been the closet of friends, but they were still friends. Naruto remembered all the pranks they would pull together or the times they snuck out of class to play with Akamaru in the park…Naruto also saw how Kiba barely made it out of his fight alive against one of the Sound Four. If it wasn't for Kankuro, he might have died…

"Shikamaru was probably staring at clouds or was sleeping on the job. I don't know how he even made Chunin. Maybe if they made Sasuke-kun Chunin instead of that lazy bum then he would have stayed!"

Naruto was starting to get sick of hearing about "Sasuke-kun". Was this really all she talked about? Had he really ignored all this before…?

Even though Naruto was disappointed in not making Chunin, he knew that Shikamaru deserved it a lot more than himself and Sasuke. Shikamaru had figured out about the invasion ahead of time and he even stood back to stall those Oto-nins that were chasing them. Sasuke rushed off at that time just to continue a fight he had no chance at winning. Shikamaru planned everything during the retrieval mission and had the best match-ups in the fight. Had it been anyone else, Naruto wasn't sure that all of them would have made it out alive…

"Let's not forget about the _**fat**_ king, Choji! The glutton was probably eating like always instead of fighting. He probably just stuffed his fat face while you-" Sakura was cut off by Naruto's animalistic roar.

"SHUT THE HELL UP, SAKURA! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU KNOW, HUH? WE WORKED OUR ASSES OFF TO GET _**YOUR **_TRAITORIOUS BOYFRIEND BACK AND YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO SAY WE'RE USELESS?" Naruto yelled.

Sakura took a step back from the wounded blond as red chakra started to swirl around him.

"What did you do to stop him? Did you fight to the brink of death to retrieve that traitorous asshole back? DID YOU?"

Naruto never felt so much rage in his life before. A clear part of his mind knew that Sakura was mostly talking in anger, but that still didn't excuse what she said. He also knew that whatever feelings he had for Sakura, they were long gone.

"All of us tried our best to retrieve Sasuke, Choji almost overdosed on those chakra pills, Kiba had his muscles shredded and almost lost Akamaru, Neji had a fucking arrow shot through his shoulder, and I…I HAD TWO CHIDORI'S SHOVED THROUGH MY CHEST!" Naruto paused before he turned his gaze to the petrified girl.

Sakura saw something she thought she would never see in Naruto's eyes. His once cerulean blue eyes were now blood red with black slits going through them. His crimson gaze held nothing but disgust as he looked at her.

"We almost died for Sasuke, and you have the gall to insult us? We have our injuries to show that we actually tried, what do you have to show for it? A dirtied dress and a tear-stain face? You're pathetic and useless just like Sasuke said you were." Naruto said coldly. He knew it was a low blow, but he couldn't bring himself to care at the moment.

"**That's it, Naruto…submit to your hatred…let your rage guide you…" **Kyubi whispered into Naruto's mind.

"Tell me this, Sakura…What did you expect if I brought Sasuke back?" Naruto asked the same question Kyubi had asked him.

"We w-would h-have went back to the things as t-they were! W-we would have been a t-team again and we would have had that curse seal removed. We all k-know that the seal was influencing him! He didn't do anything wrong!" Sakura stuttered in fear while still trying to defend her precious Uchiha.

The red chakra seemed to double in size after Sakura's answer.

"_What a fool I've been…"_ Naruto thought. He knew at one point he wanted the same thing that Sakura wanted, but hearing it from her made it sound so…so…so delusional and idiotic…

"He didn't…do…anything…wrong…anything…WRONG? HE SHOVED HIS FIST THROUGH MY CHEST TO KILL ME! ARE YOU SAYING THAT IT WAS OKAY FOR HIM TO TRY TO KILL ME? HE WASN'T INFLUENCED BY THAT SHITTY SEAL; HE DID EVERYTHING ON HIS OWN FREE WILL, YOU UNGRATEFUL BITCH!" Naruto roared.

Before things got more out of hand, the Godaime Hokage, Tsunade Senju, burst through the door with a couple of her ANBU bodyguards.

"What is the meaning of this?" Tsunade commanded.

Before anyone could react, Sakura ran over to the female Hokage and hid behind her.

"Tsunade-sama, he's a monster! He looks like he's about to attack me! He's a demon like my mother said he is!" Sakura shrieked out as tears streamed down her face.

Tsunade's amber eyes hardened at the girl in front of her before she forcibly removed Sakura from her leg.

Naruto's dark growl alerted every one of the current situation at hand. Naruto stuck an accusatory clawed finger at Sakura, before speaking. "That Uchiha _**whore**_ barged into _**my**_ room _**uninvited**_ and started spraying her bullshit about how we were rigged to fail our mission!" Naruto bared his fangs and looked like he was about to rip Sakura's throat out.

Unknown to Naruto, a chakra tail started to form as the red chakra veil took a more foxlike appearance.

The ANBU tensed, but Tsunade just raised her hand to signal them to halt.

"ANBU, you will escort genin Haruno out of my presence. I will handle Naruto on my own." Tsunade commanded. Her tone left no room for argument.

The ANBU hesitated, but complied nevertheless. The cat-wearing ANBU member grabbed Sakura's shoulder and walked her out of the room while her Hawked masked partner closed the door slowly.

Once the door was closed, Tsunade's shoulders slumped a bit and her eyes softened as she looked at the angered jinchuriki. Naruto's fists were closed and wresting in his lap while his head was down. Tsunade slowly walked over to the jinchuriki and softly, but forcibly turned Naruto's head to face hers.

Blood red eyes filled with rage met Golden Amber filled with sympathy and what could only be described as motherly concern.

"Naruto…I need you to calm down…" Tsunade whispered softly to the closest thing she had to a grandson. She didn't release her hold on Naruto's face as she watched the swirling emotions in Naruto's eyes.

"Please clam down, Naruto. It's alright now. She's gone now…" Tsunade whispered again as her eyes took a more pleading look.

Naruto's anger seemed to fade away as he looked at Tsunade's eyes. Red and blue flickered though Naruto's eyes as the chakra cloak faded back into his body. So cerulean blue retook its rightful place in Naruto's eyes, but they were soon filled with deep sorrow.

"I tried…I really tried, Baa-chan…" Naruto whispered as tears started to fall from his eyes.

Tsunade was shocked. Naruto never looked this broken and he never cried. He never looked this vulnerable before.

"_Damn that girl, she really hurt him…"_ Tsunade thought as her anger rose at the thought of the pink-haired genin. Luckily she reined he anger. She needed to support Naruto now like he did for her.

With that thought in mind, she wrapped Naruto into a motherly hug as she allowed him to cry his sorrows away. They boy had spent 13 years filled with sorrow, but until now, he never got a chance to vent it out. Tsunade rubbed soothing circles into the boys back while whispering kind nothings into his ears. To anyone else, it would have looked like a mother consoling her child.

After some time passed, Naruto finally calmed down, but the brokenness in his eyes remained. His cerulean eyes seemed so dull and lifeless. It was a stark contrast to what they usually looked like.

"Naruto…I need you to tell everything that just happened…" Tsunade said gently as she placed a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder.

Naruto took a deep breath before he retold everything that happened from the Sasuke Retrieval Mission to Sakura's harsh words. He even told her about his conversation with the Kyubi.

After all was said and done, Tsunade questioned where he got his patience from. If she was in Naruto's position, she would have ripped the girl's tongue out of her mouth and that would have been _**before**_ Kyubi influenced her rage.

"_He must have gotten it from Minato because he sure as hell didn't get it from Kushina…"_ Tsunade thought amusedly.

"Baa-chan, what it said…was it true…?" Naruto questioned and Tsunade knew he was referring to what the Kyubi had said.

"You are not a puppet, Naruto. You have the potential to be something great. The Sandaime knew this, Jiraiya knows this, and I believe in you as well, Naruto. You've never given up when someone has told you otherwise, why should you let that ditz get to you now?" Tsunade replied calmly.

"It just hurts so much though…it hurts even more knowing the fox was right about her. She threw me away like a piece of trash once I couldn't bring back her bastard Uchiha." Naruto said angrily

"I know it hurts, Naruto, but you shouldn't be concerned about what Sakura thinks. You should only care about what people who care about you think. The opinions of those who don't care about you, they don't matter. The fox was right in the sense that you shouldn't appease those who won't appreciate you, but that was the only thing it was right about…And maybe it wouldn't hurt to think ahead sometimes, brat…" Tsunade said jokingly at the end.

Naruto smiled a bit at Tsunade's joke before he frowned. "I know, Baa-chan, but I thought Sakura would have cared at least a little bit about me…but I was obviously wrong…" Naruto lamented.

"There are many people out there, Naruto. You made a mistake by limiting yourself to one person and got burned by it. While I'm not saying you should become like that lecher, Jiraiya, I am saying that you should be open your views about people. Some may come to surprise you…"

"What do you mean, Baa-chan?" Naruto asked curiously.

"What I mean is that you might fall for the last person you'd expect. Take me for an example. I fell in love with a feminine looking guy who was more like a nun than a ninja. Dan was always trying to help people during a time where your best friend could be your next enemy. We were like polar opposites since I was a…well for a lack of a better term, cold heartless bitch." Tsunade said as she rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment.

"The point is that you'll never know what surprises are in store for you, so don't write off love just because of one bad experience." Tsunade said as she ruffled Naruto's locks.

"Shouldn't you listen to your own advice, Baa-chan? You know the old pervert is still in love with you…" Naruto said half-jokingly.

Tsunade's attitude changed to a more melancholy version. "I know he is, Naruto…but my heart is still with Dan…It wouldn't be fair to Jiraiya because I couldn't fully return his feelings…"

Naruto nodded solemnly as an ANBU member walked into the room.

"Tsunade-sama, there are people who want to visit Uzumaki-san in the waiting room, but some are disturbed about the recent influx of _**yokai (demon chakra)**_ that flooded the hospital." The Cat-masked ANBU reported.

Tsunade's eyes widened then she looked at Naruto who wore a resigned expression.

"Naruto-"

"Tell them, Tsunade-sama…there's no point in trying to cover it up…I…I just want to rest right now…" Naruto said as the hollow emptiness remerged in Naruto's eyes.

"A-Are you sure, Naruto? You don't want to tell them yourselves?" Tsunade asked the prone form.

"What difference will it make…they'll figure it out eventually and I'm…I'm just too tired to handle any more stress right now…" Naruto said as he stared out of his window.

"…Okay…I'll tell them…" Tsunade said as she patted Naruto on the shoulder before she walked out.

"No visitors…please…" Naruto said just before Tsunade left. Tsunade stopped for a second before she agreed and walked out of the room with the ANBU behind her.

**Konoha Hospital: Waiting Area**

Tsunade entered the waiting room and was greeted by the incomplete members of Team, 7, 8, 10, and Team Gai.

Surprisingly, Neji was there too even though his arm was in a sling. He and Tenten were talking quietly in a corner while Gai was, surprisingly, sitting near them with his eyes closed and his arms crossed.

Asuma was talking quietly with Shikamaru who seemed to have figured out everything on his own and it looked like Asuma was forced to explain it to him ahead of time. Shikamaru looked up when Tsunade walked in and gave her a knowing look and a small nod of the head. Tsunade interpreted as he knew what Naruto was and he still accepted him.

Kurenai was sitting next to Hinata while trying to console the poor girl. Hinata seemed very sad, but she had a get-well card in her hands as well as a bouquet of _**Calendulas. **_From the color choice, Tsunade assumed it was for Naruto. Ino was also with the incomplete Team 8 because she was trying to calm her pale-eyed friend. Shino stood off to the side and made no movement or inclination to show what he was thinking.

Kakashi sat in the corner closest to where Tsunade entered. He had his hand grabbing his head. He looked like a completely defeated man at the moment. His aura radiated with self-anger, regret, and sorrow. It was probably for the best, but Sakura was nowhere in sight.

Tsunade cleared her throat to gain everyone's attention. As soon as everyone turned to their Hokage, everyone started to ask their questions at once.

"Is N-Naruto-kun a-alright?"

"What was that energy we just felt?"

"Is Choji's life no longer in danger?"

"IS LEE-KUN'S FLAMES OF YOUTH STILL INTACT?"

"Kiba and Akamaru are fine, right?"

"S-Shouldn't N-Neji-nii-san be in h-his room?"

"Are our comrades' lives out of peril?"

"QUIET!" Tsunade screamed. The room became deathly silent.

"Okay, everyone is alright and everyone should make a full recovery. As for Neji…why are you out of your room?" Tsunade questioned.

Neji kept his usual stoic composure and said, "The doctors within the Hyuga compound said they will look after me so the doctors here checked me out so they could use the room for some other patients."

Tsunade nodded. Even if she wanted to keep Neji for observations, it was now a clan matter thus making it outside her jurisdiction. However she had faith in the Hyuga doctors since she had checked their skills and certified all of them when she returned to the village.

"What about that burst of energy? It felt so…scary…" Ino said as she shivered.

"It felt familiar to me…"Neji said out loud.

"It was Naruto, wasn't it Tsunade-sama. Shikamaru said calmly. All heads snapped towards the lazy Nara then to the Godaime.

Tsunade sighed, before she steeled herself for what she needed to do. "What secret I'm about to tell you is considered an SS-ranked village secret. If you divulge what I'm about to tell you, then you will be executed for treason…do you understand?" Tsunade said seriously

The younger generation all stiffened, but nodded their heads. Tsunade seeing them agreeing continued to tell them one of Konoha's best and worst kept secret…

20 long minutes later had Tsunade sitting in front of a shocked room of adolescence. Even Shino's jaw seemed to be hanging from the revelation dropped on them.

"Is Naruto the Kyubi?" Ino asked. She had to admit she was now scared of her fellow blond.

Surprisingly, it wasn't Tsunade who responded first, but Hinata.

"NO! Naruto-kun is not the Kyubi! Naruto-kun is the nicest person I know and if he was the Kyubi, he would have destroyed the village instead of defending it." Hinata said vehemently.

She had tears of sorrow running down her face, but this what out of sadness for Naruto instead of concern. _"Naruto-kun…how long…has you suffered silently because of this burden?"_

"Hinata's right. Naruto is still the troublesome idiot we all know from the academy. Nothing is different just because we now know what he's held for years." Shikamaru said seriously.

"He said he also knew how it felt to be given a burden he didn't ask for when we fought in the Chunin exams…I didn't believe at first, but now I feel like such a fool. He's had to carry the Kyubi within him since his birth and he's taken it all in stride while I tried to hide behind the curtain of faith…He truly is a better individual than I…" Neji said solemnly.

"Okay, so Naruto's not the Kyubi, but what made him use the Kyubi power in a hospital?" Tenten asked.

Tsunade façade took a dark look as she repeated everything that happened. Needlessly to say, everyone in the room was shocked. Kakashi looked like he was drowning in guilt while the rookies looked like they were about to go Haruno hunting. Even Ino looked pissed at her former best friend.

Surprisingly, it was Hinata that broke the deathly silence. "Tsunade-sama, I want to see Naruto-kun." Hinata said seriously. Everyone was surprised by her lack of stutter.

Tsunade shook her head. "I'm sorry, Hinata, but Naruto want to be left alone…" Tsunade replied.

"Please Tsunade-sama, I want…no I need to see him…please." Hinata pleaded.

Tsunade looked at the young Hyuga heiress and saw the same flame of determination in her eyes as she saw in Naruto's. With a sigh, Tsunade agreed.

"Okay, Hinata…but only you can see him. Everyone else has to wait." Tsunade sent a sharp glare as some of the rookies looked like they were about to protest.

"Thank you, Tsunade-sama." Hinata bowed and was about to run to Naruto's room, but Tsunade grabbed her on her shoulder.

"Hinata…he's really down right now…I'm sending you because he needs to see that there are people out there that care about him. You can't hesitate or else he'll misinterpret it as something else. Right now, Naruto needs you and you can't hold back…do you understand?" Tsunade whispered into the girl's ear so the others couldn't hear.

Hinata's eyes widened before a blush went over her face, but the determination in her eyes didn't waver. "I'll be there for Naruto-kun like how he's always there for me." Hinata said vehemently.

Tsunade smiled before she gave the girl an encouraging push towards Naruto's room.

**Chapter End**

**A/N: Ugh, I am very sorry this took so long to get out. At least it's out now and it's done with. Next chapter is going to be fluffy (_hopefully)_ and hopefully I'll have it out faster than I did this one. **

**Not much to say about this chapter, again if you were offended by the Sakura bashing, then I'm sorry, and this is probably the worst it was going to get in regards to bashings which isn't that bad considered to some other stories I've read. **

**Calendulas are orange flowers that are usually grown in Europe. I thought they would be fitting because of the color. They are also known as the **_**"October Birth flowers"**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello readers! Welcome to another installment of FtaBH.**

**I'm glad that the majority enjoyed last chapter. Once again I apologize to those who didn't like it for the OOCness. Just so you know, I'm not against redeeming characters I don't like. I will give chances to those even if I don't like them. I have a plan and a reason for why I did everything I did so far and I hope it'll be good enough when you read it in a future chapter. **

**I'd like to thank: **

_**Hinatasgreatestfan, He Who Rules with an Iron Hoof, hinatagirl0805, J.F.C, Yuffentinelovelast4ever, KantonKageX, Kyukon, David x Hinata, Chewie Cookies, Chris Uzumaki-sensei, Pandora vanity, Mischa Rowe, RasenganFin, hiNAru Aburame, Dragon Man 180, brown phantom, Rose Tiger, Solvdrage, Baka1chan, devilzxknight86, Trilonias, Ability King KK, Mel72000, miner149er, and Okazaki323**_

**For reviewing (^/^)**

**IMPORTANT NOTICE:** _Ever wonder who the best Naruto fanfic writer on this site really is? Who fans favor the most? Located on _**brown phantom's and zentary's**_profile is a poll for you readers to vote for your favorite writer. The list has over 50 writers on it. If your favorite writer is not there then you can submit a write in, but only one. So go out there and vote!_

_Profile links:_

Brown phantom

http:/www**(dot)**fanfiction**(dot)**net/u/1634435/

Zentary

http:/www**(dot)**fanfiction**(dot)**net/u/2022054/

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto; stop making me feel bad :'(

"Normal"

"_Thoughts"_

"**YELLING or JUTSUS**"

**"Demon talk**"

"_**Demon Thoughts**_"

_**Father to a Blond Hyuga**_

**Chapter 5**

**Konoha Hospital: Naruto's Room**

Naruto stared blankly into the dimly light hospital room as he thought about everything that had just happened. He felt numb. His body and mind felt like two separate entities at the moment and he was caught in the middle. His body felt like it always did. It was filled with pent up energy and needed an outlet to release all he had felt. His mind was a different story. It just wanted to rest and forget about everything today.

Unfortunately, no amount of rest could block out the harsh words he had heard. What was left for him…? His friends probably hated him after finding out his deepest and darkest secret. As much as he tried to be positive, he just couldn't bring himself to put on his false happiness mask…

"**So what shall you do now?" **Kyubi's voice echoed in his mind.

"_I don't know…It just feels…"_ Naruto trailed off.

The Kyubi snorted. **"You should feel happy, ningen. You are finally seeing the true side of your race. The side I see every day. It's disgusting, isn't it?"**

Naruto didn't respond, he just continued to stare blankly at his hands.

"**You know I could end your misery…all you have to do is…rip off this seal…You'll be granted the release from the pain you've endured for so long…"** Kyubi coaxed Naruto.

Naruto was pulled into his mindscape where he just stared at the fox. His mind screamed at him to ignore the fox's offer, but his body was slowly making its way to the bars that held the malicious beast back. Soon he was standing in front of the prison and his hand slowly made its way to the seal. He felt the paper brush against his fingertips. He felt the shock of energy trying to repulse him…

Right before he pulled the seal off, he saw the faces of his precious people flash in his mind.

He saw Jiraiya, Tsunade, Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, the Ichiraku family; he then saw all his friends' faces. The final face he saw was Hinata's face with her shy smile and bright opal eyes staring back at him. He didn't know why Hinata was the final face to appear, but he knew he couldn't go through with his current actions. He had to protect his precious people, even if that meant to endure the pain so they could live peacefully.

"**Why do you hesitate? Don't you want your freedom from the pain? I can give you the peace that you deserve."**

"No, I don't want that kind of peace! I will endure this burden because I still have people who I consider precious to me. As long as they are alive, I will continue to fight for them!"

"**HA! Who do you consider precious? You allowed your leader to tell your secret about me. How many of them do you think still want to be your friend? They would probably want you dead like the rest of the trash in this village. Allow me to remove these ungrateful insects before they leech more off you." ** Kyubi responded as he got closer to Naruto and stared down on him.

Before Naruto could respond, he heard a knock on his door. "N-Naruto-kun, its m-me, Hinata…" Hinata's soft voice echoed '

"_**NO, WHY COULDN"T IT BE ANYONE ELSE?" **_Kyubi mentally wailed. Before he could prod Naruto more into pulling the seal, the boy had already left his mindscape to talk to the Hyuga heiress.

Kyubi let out a mighty roar before he slammed into the bars to let out his frustration. He knew that the gaki's friends were loyal to a fault and that the Hyuga would love him even if he had a fox tail and ears. He was trying to play on Naruto's vulnerability, but he knew that the Hyuga would ruin his plan.

Hinata opened the hospital door and saw her crush staring back at her. She noticed that her love's cerulean eyes were dulled and his ever present smile was gone which she was somewhat thankful for. Hinata knew that his smiles were usually fakes, but his true smiles always melted her heart and she wished that he would show the world his true smile more often.

Seeing Naruto in this state of depression saddened Hinata, but strengthened her resolve. Naruto had always been there for her _(indirectly),_ and now she could finally be there for him.

Naruto stared at the Hyuga Heiress in front of him. He was shocked to see her even come this close to him. It warmed his heart a bit to see her, but he crushed that feeling immediately. He couldn't get his hopes up after his world basically shattered around him.

"I asked for no visitors, Hinata." Naruto said evenly.

Hinata flinched a bit, which did not go unnoticed by Naruto. He could see the nervousness rolling off Hinata and he assumed it was because of him. Sadly, he was correct, but for the wrong reason…Naruto sighed and turned away from Hinata.

"Can you please leave, Hinata? I can see that you're uncomfortable around my presence so you can just go…" Naruto said without looking at her.

Hinata was hurt by Naruto's words and actions but then she realized why. Tsunade's words started to chime in her head.

"_Hinata…he's really down right now…I'm sending you because he needs to see that there are people out there that care about him. You can't hesitate or else he'll misinterpret it as something else. Right now, Naruto needs you and you can't hold back…do you understand?"_

"_He thinks that I'm afraid of him not that I'm afraid to embarrass myself in front of him…"_ Hinata thought.

She straightened her back and her eyes filled with the fire of determination. She walked up to Naruto and gently, put forcefully tugged his shoulder so he would turn to look at her.

"I'm not leaving, Naruto-kun." Hinata said with a sense of finality.

Naruto's eyebrows rose up and his face took an expression of confusion that Hinata thought was cute.

"Then why are you here?" Naruto asked hesitantly.

"I came to check on my friend. I know you were hurt and I wanted to check on you because your one of my p-precious people." Hinata blushed a bit but didn't break eye contact. Her heart was pounding a mile per minute.

Naruto felt his own blood rush to his cheeks, but not as obvious as Hinata's blush. He never really noticed that Hinata's eyes contained a light shade of lavender that seemed accentuate her beauty…

"_Whoa, whoa, whoa…Hold the train…did I think she was beautiful?"_Naruto thought suddenly, but he filed that thought for later.

Naruto never felt s exposed before and it was unnerving for him. Hinata's eyes seemed to be looking into his soul. She certainly was an enigma…but him saying that was like the pot calling the kettle black.

"How can you think I'm someone precious…you know what I contain, right?" He paused to see Hinata's nod, "Then why…? I'm a monster…" Naruto said as he looked away so Hinata couldn't see his eyes that were filling with tears.

He couldn't look into those lovely lavender pools. They gave him so much false hope that he convinced himself that wasn't real.

He wasn't given the choice when Hinata guided his face to look at hers. She smiled a soft smile that seemed to make his heart beat erratically.

"Naruto-kun is Naruto-kun. Naruto-kun is the boy that I have admired for so long. He's the strongest shinobi I know and he WILL be Hokage one day because he doesn't give up or back down because that's his… no…OUR nindo." Hinata said vehemently.

"Hinata…" Naruto was truly touched by the beautiful words she spoke to him. It was a complete contrast to what Sakura had said to him before.

"You've always been selfless and put others in front of you. No demon would ever do that…I don't think you remember this, but when we were little, you saved me from those bullies that were picking on me. You defended my honor when you fought against Neji-nii-san. You even put up a mask of happiness to hide how much you are hurting so you don't make those who actually care about you worry over you…No demon would ever do that…" Hinata said seriously.

Naruto's eyes widened at Hinata's speech. She had seen through his front where people who were considered geniuses did not. She also knew about the Kyubi and she didn't care…For the first time since he entered the hospital, Naruto regained the small shine that was always in his eyes as well as a bit of hope.

Hinata noticed that Naruto's eyes were no longer dull like before and she smiled that she was able to help him, but she needed to push a little more.

"You've always been my inspiration, Naruto-kun. Whenever I was down and felt like giving up, I always thought about you…seeing you like this hurts me because it would take a lot to bring you down. I want to help you Naruto-kun because I… you...are…my most precious person to me…" Hinata said the last part after hesitating slightly.

As much as Hinata wanted to say she loved him, she couldn't muster enough courage to say those words…maybe she would get the chance to say them in the future…

Naruto felt a tear of joy slide out of his eye, but he couldn't care less. He was elated that he still had someone who believed in him.

"Hinata…thank you…You always know what to say to me to make me feel better…just like the time before I fought Neji. I don't think I would have won if I hadn't talked to you. Just having you by my side makes everything seems alright…" Naruto said as he pulled the Hyuga into a hug.

Hinata's face invented a new shade of red with the blush she had on, but she returned the hug never the less. "I'll always be by your side as long as you want me there, Naruto-kun…" She whispered in his ear.

"_Hopefully we'll be by each other's sides for a very long time…"_ Hinata thought as she blushed again at her train of thought.

"I know I said that I thought you were a shy, dark, weirdo, but I was wrong…you are an amazing friend who is kind, smart and kinda cute, Hinata-chan." Naruto didn't know what possessed him to say the last part, but the –chan suffix seemed to fit very well and she _**was**_ definitely cute…

Hinata's mind seemed to go into overdrive at what Naruto said and she did the one thing she hoped she wouldn't do…

…she fainted. **(A/N Naruto's charm is super effective on the wild Hinata)**

Naruto noticed Hinata go limp in his arms and looked to see her face was red and that she was unconscious. He idly noted that she was smiling a large grin.

Naruto chuckled a bit at Hinata's expression. "Someday, I'll figure out why you keep turning red and fainting around me, Hinata-chan…" Naruto said as he yawned a bit before he himself fell asleep.

It was a new morning in Konoha and everyone was still asleep except for the hospital staff and one overworked Sannin/Hokage. Tsunade had hardly got any sleep that night since she was still worried about the closest person to a son she had. She didn't doubt that Hinata could help him, but she had never seen that side of Naruto and he _**was**_ the most unpredictable shinobi…ever…

Tsunade, Shizune, and a nurse walked up to Naruto's room before the nurse opened it. What they saw had them mentally screaming 'kawaii'. Upon looking into Naruto's room, you would have seen Naruto and Hinata huddled up together in the hospital bed. Naruto's arms were wrapped around Hinata's waist while her hands were around his neck. Her head was also resting gently on Naruto's chest.

Tsunade didn't show it, but she was immensely relieved to see the small smile on Naruto's face. It was a fake one either; it was one of his true smiles.

"_Thank you for helping my little brat, Hinata…" _thought Tsunade.

Tsunade turned to the attending nurse with a faux-stern façade. "I believed it was hospital not allow guests to stay past visiting hours…care to explain?" Tsunade said evenly.

The nurse was sweating bullets. "W-Well you s-see, Tsunade-sama, when I came to check on the patient, he and his little friend were already asleep and I thought it was too cute to separate them…" The nurse looked down in shame.

Tsunade nodded before she turned to Shizune. "Shizune, make sure this nurse gets a nice hefty bonus in her next pay-check. Consider a Hokage's satisfaction bonus." Tsunade winked at the awe-struck attendant.

"T-Thank you, Tsunade-sama, I really appreciate it!" The nurse bowed before she continued on her routine with a little hop in her step.

"That was nice of you to do, Tsunade-sama. I'll make sure she gets her bonus." Shizune chirped in.

Tsunade nodded before she looked at the sleeping pre-teens. She soon smiled a devious smile.

"Hey, Shizune…do you have a camera?" Tsunade asked her assistant.

Shizune seemed to understand what Tsunade was planning and smiled an equally devious smile.

"Yes I do, Tsunade-sama. How many photos would you like?" Shizune said as she pulled out a disposable camera.

"Take as many pictures as you can on that roll…I can't wait to see the brat's expression when he sees them." Tsunade chuckled in an eerily similar way to her former snake summoning teammate.

"I'm on it, Tsunade-sama!" Shizune said and gave a mock-salute before she started to take pictures of the cute little couple.

20 minutes was when Naruto started to wake up. He heard some girl giggles and he felt strange warmth on his chest and around his neck. He sleepily gripped the thing that was emitting the warmth closer to him which caused it to squeak…wait a tick…

Naruto's eyes shot open to see to lavender pools staring back at him. He could also see that Hinata's face was beat red from the close proximity. The two stared at each other for what felt like hours but it was soon interrupted but someone clearing their throat.

Both pre-teens turned their heads to see a smiling Tsunade and Shizune. In Shizune's hands was a little camera.

Both pre-teens' eyes widened at the sight of the camera before they both scrambled to get it at the same time. Unfortunately, their legs were tangled which caused both of them to land unceremoniously on the ground. These incidents lead to some more laughter from the older Kunoichi and a couple more snapping from the camera.

After everything settled down, Tsunade had the two pre-teens sit down on while she gave a last examination on Naruto.

"Everything seems to be in order, Naruto. Your wounds will still need a couple more days to fully heal, but you're not in any danger." Tsunade said.

"Aww, I'm stuck here longer?" Naruto whined which lead to a chuckle from Hinata and Shizune. Tsunade smirked before she lightly bopped Naruto on the head.

"Yeah, you're stuck here so deal with it! If I catch you trying to escape then I'll lock you to the bed for a month and give the Ichiraku's a year paid vacation!" Tsunade said seriously.

She had to stifle a giggle when Naruto paled as white as a sheet and pulled the covers up to his nose while shaking like a leaf.

"I'll be good…just don't take my ramen away! Naruto is a good boy!" Naruto rambled hysterically.

That proved to be too much for the Kunoichi as they all fell over laughing. It was good to see Naruto back to his old self.

"Alright, Naruto, I have to go back to do some of my work. You're in a good condition and you'll be allowed to have visitors today. Also, that lecher Jiraiya has something he wants to ask you so don't be surprised if he pops in." Tsunade said as she and Shizune left the room.

"I-I have to go too, Naruto-kun…I've been here all morning and m-my clan might get worried. I'll be back later." Hinata said softly.

"I can't wait, Hinata-chan. I'll see you this afternoon and thank you…for everything." Naruto said as he smiled his true smile which caused Hinata to blush.

"You are welcome, Naruto-kun…Oh! Before I forget, I-I got t-these for you." Hinata shyly held up the orange flowers that she had forgotten on the counter. She placed them on the table next to Naruto and said one final goodbye before she left.

"You've got a real fine catch with that girl, brat." An unknown voiced echoed from Naruto's window.

To Naruto's credit, he didn't flinch or looked surprised by the intruder. "Hey Ero-Sennin, Tsunade-baa-chan said you would be visiting; I didn't expect it to be so soon." Naruto replied as he looked at the smiling pervert.

Naruto's eyebrow rose in question to Jiraiya's mood. "What's with the look, Ero-Sennin?" Naruto said suspiciously.

"Oh nothing…" Jiraiya said casually. "I came to check on you last night, but instead I was greeted by the site of you cuddling up to your cute little girlfriend."

Jiraiya's smile grew as he saw Naruto pale. "Alright, brat, I want details and I want them now!" Jiraiya said as he took out his notepad and pen.

"Nothing happened, Ero-Sennin! She was just comforting me when I needed it the most…" Naruto said the last part solemnly.

Jiraiya looked at his current pupil and saw how serious he was so he decided to drop his perverted antics for now.

"Tsunade told me about everything that happened and I want to say that I'm sorry. I know it must have hurt, but I know it wouldn't be enough to bring you down." Jiraiya said seriously.

Naruto nodded his head. He didn't want to admit it, but he was seriously still thinking of just ending his shinobi career. As much as Hinata and Tsunade helped him, he could still feel a part of him was missing.

"So what did you want to talk about, Ero-Sennin? I know you didn't come here just to talk." Naruto said seriously.

Jiraiya nodded his head and a small smile appeared on his face. "When did you get so perceptive, brat? You're right; I came here to ask you if you wanted to become my full time apprentice." Jiraiya answered.

Naruto's eyes widened slightly. "Why would you want me as your apprentice? There are many others who are probably smarter and stronger than me…"

Jiraiya bopped Naruto on top of his head. "OW! What the hell, Ero-Sennin?" Naruto yelled as he rubbed the bump left by Jiraiya.

"The Naruto I know would never talk like that. I hit you to knock some sense into you. You're right I could have trained a genius, but you have something a genius doesn't. You have the heart and the drive to become something great and I'm going to help you." Jiraiya said seriously.

"Plus, training geniuses is not fun. They already know everything and they barely learn anything through hard work." Jiraiya said half-jokingly.

Naruto was silent for a second as he thought over what Jiraiya said. "Okay, Jiraiya…I accept…I need to become stronger so I can protect those who are precious to me…"

Jiraiya smiled and shuffled Naruto's hair. "Okay kid, after you get out of the hospital I'm going to take you on a training trip. We'll be leaving Konoha for three years so you should say goodbye to your friends."

Naruto's eyes widened at Jiraiya's words. _"Three years? I'll be gone for that long…" _Naruto thought but he didn't voice it. He just nodded his head and Jiraiya left via window.

**Hokage Tower: Council Chamber**

Tsunade was having a good day until an emergency council meeting was called by the civilian council. Usually the civilian council couldn't call this sort of meetings unless it was a danger to the village. The only plausible explanation would be that they felt Naruto's tantrum from yesterday and they were scared…

…it turned out that Tsunade hit the nail on the hammer…

"Tsunade-sama, we all felt that energy being released. Is the fox still contained?" asked a worried civilian member.

Tsunade rolled her eyes. "If it wasn't contained, then would we even be here right now?" Tsunade asked rhetorically.

"The boy is obviously losing his control! He used that beast's power during the Chunin exams and now he's releasing its power for no reason!" screamed a frantic civilian followed by more frantic members.

Surprisingly, there were members on the civilian side who just rolled their eyes at the absurd behavior of their peers. The shinobi side seemed a little tense, but they weren't jumping to any conclusions.

"QUIET!" Tsunade commanded.

"Yesterday after Naruto woke up from his grievous injuries, a Kunoichi, who shall remain anonymous, started to berate him and his team for his failure to retrieve Sasuke Uchiha." Tsunade gave a pointed look at a pink haired councilwoman.

"This Kunoichi's actions along with the excess yokai chakra in his system seemed to trigger his emotional response and he subconsciously channeled the Kyubi's energy. It was a freak accident that happened because of different factors. I did the medical procedure myself and his system seems to be clean of Yokai chakra." Tsunade said with a hint of finality.

"Tsunade-sama, this is most troubling. The boy is obviously losing control. We must do something before matters get out of hand." Homura said.

"I have to agree with my colleague, Tsunade-sama. The boy has always been emotionally erratic and now his emotions are starting to tap into the fox's power. How do we know if the fox is not influencing him when he uses the yokai chakra?" Koharu asked.

"I have already taken measures. My teammate, Jiraiya has agreed to take Naruto as his apprentice. Jiraiya is the best at Fuinjutsu in our village so he will be able to monitor Naruto's seal. He wills also traveling with Jiraiya so he won't even be in the village for a couple of years." Tsunade explained.

Tsunade looked at the shinobi council side and saw that most of them seemed to be appeased with her decision. Some of the civilians seemed happy with her decision while others looked flabbergasted.

"But Tsunade-sama, shouldn't the boy be punished for failing his mission?" asked a rather dumb civilian member.

Tsunade raised eyebrow at the absurd question. "What did Naruto do to warrant punishment during that mission?" Tsunade decided to humor the idiots.

"He failed to retrieve the Uchiha and some say he was the reason why Uchiha-sama left!" some said.

Everyone with a brain cell rolled their eyes at the pathetic excuse. "We think it would be better to exile the boy." said another idiot...Err…councilmen…

"So you want to exile Naruto…" Tsunade said eerily calm.

"If you are going to exile him for failing a mission them you will also have to exile Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akamichi, Kiba Inuzuka, and Neji Hyuga as well." Tsunade said seriously.

The shinobi members who were related to the members stood up in protest, but Tsunade quickly silenced them.

"As _**I**_ recall, _**I **_sent that team to retrieve the wayward Uchiha and that _**I**_ sent a _**TEAM**_ not just _**NARUTO**_. If you are willing to exile him for failing this mission then you are going to exile his teammates as well. _**I**_ placed Shikamaru Nara in charge of the mission, not Naruto Uzumaki. So if you want to exile Naruto, then you will also have to exile the Nara heir, Akamichi heir, the Inuzuka Matron's son, and the Hyuga prodigy as well." Tsunade said with finality.

Some of the civilians seemed to nod their heads to show that they won't be taking steps forward in banning Naruto while the ones who were still contemplating were hit with a wave of killing intent from the shinobi whose children participated in that mission.

"We withdraw our petition, Tsunade-sama." one of the civilians said shakily.

"Yeah… I thought you would…" Tsunade responded with a smug smirk.

"Oh and Naruto and Jiraiya will be leaving around next week." Tsunade said as she finally got to end the hellish meeting…

**One Week Later: Konoha Front Gate**

Naruto was standing in front of the gate with Jiraiya. He had a backpack with all his valuable items inside of them. Three years was a long time so he kept everything he could with him. He had said goodbye to all his friends the previous day so all that was left was to leave.

"You ready, brat?" Jiraiya asked.

Naruto sighed before he looked up at the Hokage monument. It faintly looked like the Third and Fourth Hokages' faces were smiling down at him. He smiled back before he turned to his master/teacher.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." Naruto responded.

Jiraiya nodded before he started to walk ahead. Naruto followed, but he took one last look at his village. _"When I return…I won't be the same annoying brat as I am now. I will become a shinobi that would make the Hokage's proud to acknowledge. That's a promise…dattebayo!"_

Naruto turned around and started to go after Jiraiya. Before he caught up, he heard his name being called faintly. He turned around to see Hinata running to him. His eyes widened slightly and he felt his heartbeat quicken for some reason.

"Hinata-chan, what are you doing here?" Naruto asked.

Hinata blushed from both exhaustion and exertion. She still wasn't used to Naruto calling her, "Hinata-chan"…

"I c-came to s-say goodbye o-one more time to you…" Hinata said as she was catching her breath.

Naruto smiled at his most precious person. Hinata had easily became that person to him after what she said to him in the hospital.

"Thank you, Hinata-chan…It means a lot to me that you would see me off." Naruto said as he hugged the girl in front of him.

Hinata "epped" from the hug, but she hugged back. They slowly moved away but not out of his grip. They stared at each other before Hinata did something that stunned both of them.

She swiftly moved her head up and placed a gentle kiss on Naruto's whiskered cheek. She wanted to kiss him on the lips, but decided against it at the last moment.

"I'm g-going t-to miss y-you, Naruto-kun" Hinata stuttered before she sprinted away like she was on fire.

Naruto was rooted in the ground with his jaw near the ground and a hand on his cheek. He could still feel the sparks on his skin where her soft lips touched his skin. He had to admit that he liked the feeling.

A giggle snapped Naruto out of his delirium to see Jiraiya writing furiously into his notebook while giggling. "Naruto, my boy, you and your pretty little girlfriend are a gold mine of ideas." Jiraiya said as he wiggled his eyebrows.

"S-Shut up, E-Ero-Sennin" Naruto stuttered as he started to chase the perverted hermit.

Jiraiya just laughed as he sped up to avid Naruto's grasp. "Hahahaha, I can see it now! "Icha Icha: Denial". The lovely yet shy princess of the village tries to teach a socially inept boy the ways of the heart! It'll appeal to lunkheads like you and my female audience!"

"You mean all two of them, Ero-Sennin? It doesn't matter because I'm going to shred that notebook!" Naruto yelled as he chased the perverted hermit into the sunset.

**Chapter: End**

**A/N okay! Another chapter down, sweet! To be honest I'm having a hard time focusing on which story I'm supposed to focus on. I was writing on KCY when all of a sudden I had the urge to write this story and vice versa. **

**I personally love the interaction between Jiraiya and Naruto and I wished I saw more in the manga before Jiraiya died. **

**Not much I can say about this chapter. It was mostly fluff. About the council meeting…I would like to say that I have nothing against the Perfect Lionheart Challenge and I have actually enjoyed multiple stories from that challenge, but it still bewildered me why only Naruto was being blamed. **

**Next chapter is going to be interesting, but I'm not giving you a hint about what's going to happen so you'll have to stick around to see.**

**}:D**

**Anyways, I hope you review! This story is only 22 reviews from 100 and I think that would be a nice milestone to surpass.**

**That's all for this one, people. **

**Ja Ne /(^_^)/**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello readers! Welcome to another installment of FtaBH.**

**No response or thanks this time. I'm just gonna just straight into the story. To those who actually reviewed I do thank you a lot and please continue to review ;)**

**Disclaimer**: I don't own _Naruto_…Damn it…Nor do I own Pirates of the Caribbean (you'll know which part it is when you read it)

"Normal"

"_Thoughts"_

"**YELLING or JUTSUS**"

**"Demon talk**"

"_**Demon Thoughts**_"

_**Father to a Blond Hyuga**_

**Chapter 6**

**1 ½ years later: Somewhere in Lightning Country**

It had been one and half years since Naruto and Jiraiya had left Konoha. Jiraiya had not wasted anytime in getting started with Naruto's training. He had Naruto relearn everything from the basics since his fundamentals were amateur at best. That didn't mean he didn't do his other research…far from it actually. He took a page from his protégé's book and used his shadow clones to do his peep…spy…OBSERVING. The best part was that every time Jiraiya would get caught, the clone would just disperse before anyone recognized him. It didn't have the same thrill as being there in person, but it was painless and he was still able to focus on Naruto's development so it was the best of both worlds…

"Okay, that's enough for today, Naruto…" Jiraiya said as he stepped out of his defensive stance

Jiraiya had put Naruto through his paces today and it showed as the unstoppable machine known as Naruto, he was on all fours and panting heavily. Jiraiya used Naruto's unlimited stamina against him by making Naruto waste all his chakra (which was a lot too) on making clones that would do various chakra exercises or studying things he missed in the academy.

With the original body, Jiraiya would make Naruto work out on a routine that Gai would think would be too much. Of course Naruto, being Naruto, accepted the challenge head on. It wouldn't have been too bad if his clone memories didn't distract him every time they dispersed. Every time Naruto would get distracted, he would have to restart his current exercise test from the beginning. Jiraiya would wait until Naruto was almost done before he would signal a clone to disperse. Which would cause Naruto to falter and he would have to try again. He said he did this so Naruto would become more accustomed to unexpected attacks, but Naruto thought the old Pervert was getting back at him for all the times he ruined his research opportunities.

Soon Naruto was able to regain his breath and he pulled himself to the makeshift campsite where he and Jiraiya resided.

"We're having beef stew tonight." Jiraiya said as he stirred the ladle that was in a large bowl.

Naruto grunted in acknowledgement as he collapsed onto the log near the campfire.

"I know you always ate ramen, but I've told you before, you need to eat other things to balance out your diet." Jiraiya said seriously.

"I'll keep that in mind, _**mom**_." Naruto said sarcastically.

Jiraiya just lightly bopped him on the head before handing him a bowl of stew. The two ate in companionable silence while staring at the stars above.

"So…we've been gone for a while now…" Naruto stated as he stared at the moon. It reminded him of the beautiful lavender orbs of the girl who had snuck into his heart.

"Don't worry; brat…Your princess is still waiting for you. She's head over heels for you so you've got nothing to worry about." Jiraiya said before he gave a boisterous laugh.

Jiraiya noticed that Naruto wasn't laughing with him or looked relieved. He had a rare look on his face. His façade showed he was contemplating something.

"Oi brat, what's going through that rock of a skull of yours?" Jiraiya asked.

Naruto just turned to his sensei and sighed before he looked down. "Jiraiya…what does it mean to be in love?" Naruto asked just above a whisper.

Jiraiya's playful side faded away when he say that his pupil was dead serious. Jiraiya sighed before he looked up at the starry night.

"Ain't that the million dollar question…?" Jiraiya said sarcastically, "To be honest with you, Naruto, it's the greatest and the worst feeling in the world. When you're in love and it's reciprocated, you feel like you're on top of the world and nothing can stop you. When it's unrequited, it's the most painful feeling that one can feel. It's also so confusing because love isn't logical…it just happens…" Jiraiya finished.

"Heh, I know the feeling…to be honest with you, Pervy Sage, I didn't think I could fall for someone who was my complete opposite. When I think about her, everything feels at ease and I can just relax. It's insane though…she's always on my mind and it makes me nervous…" Naruto muttered at the end.

"Love is scary because it makes you feel things that you've never thought you could feel. It's odd like that. You've got a good thing with Hinata. The way she acts around you is an obvious sign that she has some strong feelings for and now you know your own. A couple years isn't going to change her opinion about. It might just strengthen your bond since you now realize how much you need her in your life. Jiraiya said as he looked at Naruto.

Yeah…but you never answered my question, Pervy Sage, you just described how it feels…" Naruto said lightly.

Jiraiya laughed lightly. "To be in love…it's the ultimate commitment. It's a sign of trust and maturity that shouldn't be taken lightly. It means to be in love when your heart is willing to share everything about you in hopes that person will do the same for you." Jiraiya said sagely.

Naruto hummed in agreement before he turned back to the night sky. "I feel like that…but I'm still scared…There are many things that could happen if Hinata-chan became involved with me…" Naruto said seriously.

"So?" Jiraiya said in a deadpan fashion. "You've never let anything stop you before…you know what is going to happen if she gets involved and without a doubt she is going to get involved so your only option is to get stronger to protect her and everyone else. You've never backed away from a challenge I seriously doubt you will now." Jiraiya finished.

Naruto chuckled lightly. "You know me too well sensei…it's kinda late…I think we've had enough heart to heart conversations for tonight." Naruto said as he got up and stretched.

"Yeah, I started to feel like a pussy with all this emotional crap." Jiraiya joked which got a laugh out of his pupil. "In all seriousness though, you can talk to me when you need too, brat. You don't have to bottle it up. It's actually unhealthy if you do."

"I'll keep that in mind, sensei…" Naruto said as he went into his tent.

Jiraiya waited a couple seconds before he signaled his clone to come out of hiding. "Did you get all that?"

"Of course, I'm the gallant Toad Sage, Jiraiya! This task was easy considering my skills!" the clone puffed out his chest which caused the real Jiraiya to roll his eyes.

"I didn't know I was this cocky…" Jiraiya muttered to himself as the clone handed him the notebook with the transcript of his and Naruto's conversation.

"This will make an excellent chapter in my new book. Women will be swooning over the hardened but profound sensei as he guides his wayward student about the ways of the heart…I can't wait till we get back to Konoha to finish our research with these two." The original rambled.

"Who would have thought that the Hyuga heiress and the village pariah would make such a research worthy couple?" The clone said nonchalantly before he gained a perverse look. "You know…Hyuga women tend to fill out earlier than regular Kunoichi…"

Both Jiraiya's started to chuckle perversely. "Lucky brat…" they said at the same time…

"Lucky us, we'll be even richer because of those two! Icha Icha: Denial will be our best work ever!" The clone exclaimed before he and Jiraiya felt a massive wave of killing intent.

They turned ashen pale as they saw their Jinchuriki pupil stalking over to them with the Kyubi cloak already around him…

"Err…I think I hear my mother calling!" The clone said as he dispersed…

"Traitor…" Jiraiya muttered before he experienced the second worst beating of his life.

**A Few Weeks Later**

Naruto had forgiven Jiraiya after he torched the pervert's notes. The two were currently walking into a non-descript village. The two were walking at a leisurely pace while paying attention to their surroundings. Unfortunately, they didn't notice the group of men observing them from the roof tops. They were all wearing black cloaks with red clouds on it…

"So where are we going, Pervy Sage?" Naruto asked as he rested his hands in his pockets.

"We're going to gather some information." Jiraiya said with a perverted smile.

"I really don't like that look, Pervy Sage…" Naruto said nervously.

Naruto's intuition proved to be right because Jiraiya lead them to a brothel house. Naruto placed his head in his palms while Jiraiya giggled like a schoolgirl.

"Why the hell are we here, Ero-Sennin?" Naruto muttered through his hands.

"Here's a little secret, Naruto. Brothel houses are the best place to gather information. No one expects a prostitute or a stripper to be listening in on your conversation. They also know how to coerce information out of men without making it seem obvious. Most of my informants work in brothel houses as courtesans or bartenders." Jiraiya said seriously.

"I never really thought about it that way…" Naruto responded.

"Of course you wouldn't. Konoha forbids their Kunoichi from having to do missions like this. Compared to other Shinobi Villages, Konoha has the greatest respect for their Kunoichi. Sure some can request a seduction mission if they want, but Konoha will never force them to do one." Jiraiya said.

"But why would someone volunteer for such a mission?" Naruto asked confused.

"There could be any number of reasons Naruto…They could get a thrill about seducing men or maybe they just wanted to experience it. The reasons differ for every person. Hell some men even sign up for it. The point is that Konoha doesn't force seduction missions like how some other villages do so I'm not surprised that you didn't know the true purposes to the brothel houses. Didn't Kakashi teach you to look underneath the underneath?" Jiraiya said playfully at the end.

Naruto just looked away in embarrassment for not thinking about it earlier. Jiraiya earned back another notch of respect from Naruto for their brief conversation. Of course Jiraiya had to ruin the moment with another perverted comment.

"Of course I wouldn't mind looking underneath the underneath of these women's clothing…" Jiraiya giggled perversely as one of the women waved to him in a sensual manner.

"Don't wait up for me, brat! I've got to gather information…like that chick's bra size…" Jiraiya muttered the last part to himself as he ran into the brothel house like a kid going into a candy store…

"Stupid Ero-Sennin…" Naruto muttered as he walked off in the opposite direction.

He didn't know how long he was walking or where he was going, but Naruto found himself on the outskirts of the nameless village. He just stood there as he watched the sun lower itself past the horizon. He felt calm for a little while as he watched the orange sky.

Naruto suddenly tensed as he felt multiple chakra signatures coming towards him. He narrowly dodged a blow that was aimed at his head and hit his assailant with a powerful spin kick which knocked his assailant into one of his partners. Naruto turned around and felt his blood run cold. There were 5 men standing in front of him and all were clad in black cloaks with red clouds on it…

"Akatsuki…" Naruto muttered to himself as he thought through different plans to try to escape. Even with his training, he didn't think he could fight against 5 Akatsuki members at once.

"Uzumaki…Naruto…jinchuriki of the Kyubi no Yoko…you will be coming with us…" The main Akatsuki member said.

"Like hell I will!" Naruto shouted back and got into a defensive stance Jiraiya had taught him.

"It wasn't a request…" The man said as he charged Naruto head on as his teammates flanked him in a 5-pointed star formation.

Naruto summoned a shadow clone who threw the original in the air as the five men converged on the clone. The clone dispersed, but it did its purpose by getting the real Naruto out of the way.

The original summoned another clone that launched him away from the Akatsuki members and towards the village. He also summoned at least 20 clones and had them run in different directions so he could confuse or separate the Akatsuki members.

It would have worked if the Akatsuki members didn't decide to stay together and placed a marker on the original Naruto when he wasn't looking.

Naruto was force to turn around as he noticed that his clone misdirection wasn't working and if he went any further then civilians would soon be caught in the crossfire. Naruto decided that he would have to use a whole bunch of high powered jutsus to alert his perverted sensei of his whereabouts.

"Last chance to come peacefully, Uzumaki…" The leader said to Naruto.

Naruto didn't respond, instead he created five clones which made their own Rasengans in each hand. It was at this point that Naruto realized that his Jutsu library was very limited…

**Other Side of the Village**

Jiraiya was enjoying his time with his lovely ladies and a bottle of sake. He had actually gathered his Intel about half an hour ago, but he decided that his apprentice could use a break and he could use some relaxation.

"Tell us another riveting tale Jiraiya-dono." the brunette bombshell that was attached to his right arm said.

"Of course I will, beautiful! You see this one time I was stranded on a deserted island for months. I managed to escape by tying a couple of sea turtle-" Jiraiya's plagiarized tale was interrupted by a loud explosion.

Jiraiya's eyes widened as he immediately went into serious mode. He jumped out of the establishment and ran towards the source of the explosion. He knew, without a doubt, that Naruto was somehow involved in this mess. He doubled his pace so he could get to the epicenter of the chaos.

It was madness on the streets. People were running around and dust from collapsed building clouded their vision which caused more panic. Finally Jiraiya was able to get to his destination and what he saw filled him with untold fury.

Jiraiya saw an Akatsuki member holding a wounded Naruto by the throat will while Naruto's arm hung limply to his side. Jiraiya quickly made a Rasengan and sent the Akatsuki member flying. Once he was sure that the member was down for good, Jiraiya went to his fallen pupil.

"Naruto, are you alright?" Jiraiya asked with concern laced through his voice.

Naruto coughed a bit before he accepted Jiraiya's helping hand. "Yes, I'm okay, Jiraiya-sensei…" Naruto said as he coughed some more.

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed and he gave a devastating punch to Naruto's stomach. Naruto's eyes widened before his henge fell off to reveal a man with black hair and an Akatsuki cloak.

The man coughed more before he turned his pained look to Jiraiya's cold gaze. "How'd you know I wasn't the kid?" the man had to ask.

"Naruto never calls me "Jiraiya-sensei"…he always calls me "Ero-Sennin" or "Pervy Sage", but never "Jiraiya-sensei". Now where is he?" Jiraiya said menacingly.

The man just chuckled before staring defiantly at Jiraiya. "He's long gone from here. Maybe you'll find his corpse after we extract the Kyubi from him!" The man started to laugh hysterically before foam started to fill his mouth.

Jiraiya let out a curse as he threw the body away. He was really angry with himself for letting his godson get captured. He could only pray that he could find him in time…

**Unknown Location**

Darkness was all Naruto saw and was aware of. He couldn't remember anything and he felt all his limbs being retrained. It was odd, but he felt extremely tired as well. He felt physically exhausted and he couldn't feel his chakra.

"WAKE UP!" a voiced yelled and then Naruto felt a fist collide into his face.

Naruto opened his eyes, but closed them quickly when he noticed that he was in a sterile white room with a floodlight shining directly into his eyes. His bleary vision was able to make out two figures standing in front of him.

"Must you be so forceful, you brute." A second voice said. It had that uneasy silky tone that Orochimaru used in the Forest of Death Naruto recalled.

"I lost three men bringing this brat back so excuse me if I'm a little pissed!" The taller man said to the smaller one. The small one waved off the man's hostility.

"Well at least you woke him…" the smaller man said as both of them turned to the awoken Naruto.

"Who the hell are you and where the hell am I?" Naruto said as strongly as he could, which wasn't much.

The bigger man punched Naruto in his stomach which caused all the air to expel out of Naruto as he lurched forward.

"Now, now…if you beat him to a pulp now, then you won't have anything to do later." The smaller man said seriously.

The bigger man grunted before he walked out of the room.

"Now that the barbarian has left, we can finally chat, Naruto-kun." the smaller man said in a deceptively smooth voice.

"Who are you and what do you want with me…" Naruto rasped out.

"In that order, my name is Hiruko, and what I want? I want what makes you special." Hiruko said with a sinister smile.

"You want the Kyubi? So you do work for the Akatsuki!" Naruto said.

To his surprise, Hiruko just chuckled. "No I do not work for the Akatsuki. That was just a ploy to throw off any search that comes for you. They will suspect the Akatsuki holding you while in actuality you are here." Hiruko said as he gestured to the neon white room.

"So where is here and who do you work for?" Naruto asked confused.

"You'll know eventually, Naruto-kun. After all, my employer is interested in your heritage…" Hiruko said smoothly.

Naruto just snorted. "Good luck with that, buddy. I'm an orphan. I don't have a heritage." Naruto said smugly since he denied the man what he wanted. To his surprise again, Hiruko just chuckled.

"Everyone comes from somewhere, Naruto-kun and I know who your parents are. It was actually the reason why I was allowed to send my employer's men after you." Hiruko said.

This peaked Naruto's interest. Even though he was tied down and had no access to his chakra, he still wanted to know who his parents were, especially since it was the reason he was in this current predicament.

"Who are they?" Naruto asked.

"Eager are we? Well I don't know if I should tell you?" Hiruko teased

"Tell me dammit!" Naruto yelled hoarsely.

This actually amused Hiruko even more, "You are in no position to be making demands, but I do want to see how you will react to this revelation." Hiruko said as he circled around Naruto.

"Your mother was a Konoha Kunoichi that was originally born in Uzushiogakure. Her name was Kushina Uzumaki."

"Wait why do I have my mother's last name?" Naruto asked confusedly.

Hiruko smiled that serpentine smirk that looked so much like Orochimaru. "Well it will be obvious to you when you hear who your father is. You, Naruto Uzumaki, are related to the Yondaime Hokage, Minato Namikaze. Your father is the Yellow Flash and he's the one who sealed the fox within you."

Naruto's eyes widened as he processed everything Hiruko just said. "No…NO…YOU'RE LYING YOU HAVE TO BE!" Naruto screamed in frustration.

Hiruko seemed to be amused by Naruto's outburst. "What do I gain from lying to you? Nothing, that's what, I have to admit your reaction is quite entertaining. What's the matter? Can't handle the fact that your father condemned you to save your precious village? Did it bring old wounds of watching other kids with their parents?" Hiruko taunted.

"Shut up…SHUT UP!" Naruto yelled as tears of anger went down his cheeks.

"Even I know that it's shinobi code to never shed tears in front of an enemy. Well it looks like I have other things to do, but before I go, here is a little parting gift…enjoy!" Hiruko said as he pulled out a photo of a red hair woman with her arms wrapped around the Yondaime Hokage.

Naruto stared at the picture for who knows how long. So many emotions whirled around him as he gazed at the smiling faces of his parents. He felt angry, sad, betrayed, but he also felt relieved somewhat happy. He finally knew that his parents were great shinobi, but he felt so betrayed by his father…

Naruto slipped into his mindscape so he could avoid seeing their smiling faces. It was too much for him to see them so happy. He looked at the cage that held back the greatest Bijuu on the planet. What he saw shocked him.

Naruto stared at the fox behind the bars. There were shackles all over him and what looked like pikes sticking threw its palms. Naruto walked closer to the fox and he could hear slight whimpers of pain.

"What the hell is going on?" Naruto said as he stared into the pain filled eyes of the fox.

"**Seals…"** it whimpered out. **"They have placed many seals over the main one…"** Kyubi gasped out.

"Can't you just overcharge them, Kyubi?" Naruto asked desperately.

"…**No…Power…being siphoned off…so tired…must rest…Don't…Don't die on me…Ningen…I am…only resting…need…need…to recover…"** Kyubi panted out as he closed its massive eyes.

"Oi fox…this isn't funny…you wake up! WAKE UP DAMMIT!" Naruto said desperately.

Even if he hated the fox, it was Naruto's only companion and his only constant Naruto really had. Without the fox, Naruto felt something he never really felt before. He felt truly alone. He was alone when he was younger, but now he didn't have the fox's chakra to give him some sense of stability.

Naruto was knocked out of his mindscape when a fist collided with his jaw. "Welcome back, sleeping beauty. Now it's time for us to have some fun." The man from before returned.

Naruto didn't reply. He just spat out the blood from his mouth onto his assailant, this lead to a new flurry of strikes.

From behind a glass panel, Hiruko and one of his assistants watched on. "Are you sure this is a good idea, Hiruko-sama?" The assistant asked.

"Yes I do. Every time that brute inflicts a wound into Naruto-kun, the fox subconsciously sends it's chakra to the damaged area. We'll be able to fill the siphoning seals in nearly half the time with this method. Besides, that barbarian of a Raikage said he wanted Naruto-kun to be broken in every sense so he could be "remolded"." Hiruko rolled his eyes at the last part.

"You don't believe he can be remolded, Hiruko-sama?" the assistant asked.

"I don't think he can be broken. He's been through worse in his own village so I doubt these cretins will be able to break him. It doesn't matter to me though. I'm only concerned about the Kyubi's chakra and his DNA." Hiruko finished.

"Hmm, he's going to 15 in a couple of months…" the assistant said absent-mindedly.

Hiruko smirked. "Well why don't we get him a special birthday present than…?"

**4 Months Later**

Naruto didn't know how long he was bound to the sterile white room, but it felt like he was there for years. He couldn't sleep because the lights would be constantly on him and he would always be sore from his most recent "_**interrogation**_". It was the same routine for only Kami knows how long. He would be woken up whenever he tried to sleep then he would be used as a human punching bag for about an hour or two. The medics would come and treat him to the bear minimum and give him some slop to eat. After that the really torture began.

He would be isolated for what seemed like day. There was nothing to do but to think…He thought about his current situation, he thought about his life back in Konoha, he thought about his friends, he even thought about his parents. His thoughts would take odd twists and turns, sometimes they would be happy about everything and he was able to maintain some hope that he might be able to go home. Soon those thoughts became very dark.

He would question what was there left in Konoha. He would think about how the villagers ignored his father's wishes. He remembered a long time ago that the Sandaime had told him that Yondaime wanted him to be a hero to the village.

At first he despised his father for what he did to him, but when you're trapped in a room with only your thoughts, you tend to think things over. He thought objectively what his father did to him. What would have he had done if he was put in the same situation. Eventually Naruto accepted what his father did to him and he started to respect him for trusting him to carry this burden. Naruto concluded that his father didn't expect Konoha to react so negatively to his Jinchuriki status. He really found it hard to blame the man when he had to make an impossible decision.

Naruto then remembered that his father had essentially damned his own soul to the depths of the Shinigami's stomach to protect the village. He remembered that the Sandaime had used the same seal and he asked Jiraiya about the mechanics of it. Once he found out about the ultimate sacrifice, he wept for the tortured souls of the Hokages. Now he wept for his father's soul that was trapped forever in a fight with part of the nine-tailed demon fox.

His father gave up everything so he could live to see the village and Naruto started to feel ashamed that he held the man with such animosity not too long ago. He had forgiven his father for what he did to him…

Naruto turned his gaze from the man who looked just like him to the woman who was his mother. Naruto had to admit, she was probably the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her vibrant red hair was swaying in the wind and her bright violet eyes shined with happiness and love as she smiled at his father who smiled back with equal amount of love. He didn't know much about either of them except their names, but he could see that they really loved each other…After all; a picture is worth a thousand words…

Naruto wished that he could share the love he had with someone like how his parents did. His dark thoughts kept echoing that no one would love a monster like him and he probably won't even survive the place he was currently in. Oddly enough, he was able to quell his traitorous thoughts when he pictured Hinata. If he was honest with himself, Naruto would probably say that it was Hinata's image that kept him same throughout this whole ordeal. The thought of her waiting for him in Konoha kept silencing his constantly dreary thoughts, but then what if she moved on? He had been gone for, he estimated, about 2 years.

For some reason though, he felt like Hinata wouldn't have moved on. It was a weird feeling but it stopped the downward spiral of his thoughts.

After a few more months of the same routine, Naruto was able to piece together that he was some key to a lab experiment. Hiruko would check on him and usually try to get a rise out of the blond. From the fragments of information he got from Hiruko, Naruto was able to piece together some clues about what was going on. Hiruko needed him because his mother's clan had a ridiculously long life span and because his employer wants to have access to his father's _**Hiraishin no Jutsu (Flying Thunder God Technique)**_ which required his father's blood to activate the seals.

One day, Hiruko's goons dragged Naruto out of the white room and into a laboratory. It looked like something out of a science fiction movie. There were machines all over and human sized test tubes against the wall. In the center of the room was a surgery table with a single fluorescent light above it. The goons dragged Naruto to the tables and strapped him to it. They also tore off his raggedy shirt so his torso was exposed.

This was the first time Naruto was able to see his seal. He could see at least 5 other seals surrounding the main seal and they were pulsating red. That couldn't be good…

Hiruko came up to the restrained Naruto. He was dressed in a surgeon's outfit and had a white mask covering his face. "Ah you are about to be part of something momentous!" Hiruko cackled in glee.

"Oh and what would that be, Hiruko-teme?" Naruto sneered.

"I see your still using that unbecoming nickname, Naruto-kun. Well it doesn't matter, you are about to be a part of one of the greatest scientific breakthroughs in human history. We're going to be giving birth to your children!" Hiruko said.

Naruto just looked at him as if he was crazy…err…crazier…

"Confused? Well you should be. Without any context that sentence shouldn't have made any sense." Hiruko responded casually.

"What we are doing is we're trying to clone a child so that they will possess the fabled Byakugan. We have the Hyuga Heiress's DNA, but we weren't able to do anything productive with it. Now that we have you, we'll be able to manipulate the DNA with the Kyubi chakra and your Uzumaki traits negate the damaging properties of the Kyubi." Hiruko finished.

"How the hell did you get Hinata-chan's DNA? I swear to Kami that if you had hurt her, I'll rip your fucking throat out!" Naruto roared.

"Who is this _**Hinata-chan**_ that you speak of? Could she be the Hyuga heiress? We acquired this blood over 12 years ago. Hmmm, I wonder how intimate your relationship with this _**Hinata-chan**_ is…" Hiruko said smoothly.

Despite his current predicament, Naruto blushed at Hiruko's choice of words and looked away, much to the amusement of Hiruko.

"Well I guess you should feel lucky then, you're going to be the father of this _**Hinata-chan's**_ children…well if everything goes according to plan…oh by the way this is going to be excruciatingly painful…" Hiruko said as he made 5 incisions where the seals were.

Some of the other scientists and medics came over and attached a lagged machine to Naruto's torso. The machine had these weird tubes attached to it and the medics inserted the tubes into the incisions that Hiruko made.

Naruto felt some discomfort, but he didn't feel a lot of pain. That is until he they turned on the machine. Blinding pain seared throughout his body as he felt the machine suck the chakra out of his body. It felt like he was being torn into two pieces. As much as Naruto resisted, he couldn't hold in his screams of pain for any longer.

Hiruko smirked as he heard Naruto's cries of anguish. He looked over to his control panel to see that the percentage bar was only at 10%. "Well it seems like we've got a long was to go…" Hiruko said to himself.

It felt like hours of torture for Naruto. He was in so much pain, but he couldn't scream anymore since his throat was hoarse. There was sheen of sweat covering his forehead and he was panting heavily.

"Okay we've reached maximum capacity starting phase two." Hiruko announced as he flipped a switch. The red chakra went from the red machine to the three test tubes that were adjacent to it. The scientist operating the machine started flipping some switches as the chakra was sent into the tube.

Naruto, Hiruko, and the scientists watched in morbid fascination as they watched the globs of flesh start growing with the red chakra surrounding them like a blanket. The globs continued to grow until they started to resemble a human form.

"It's working!" Hiruko exclaimed as he continued to observe the monitors. Finally the process was coming to an end. Naruto could barely make out the features of the children in the tube since his vision was blurred from unshed tears and the pain."

Soon the sounds of water being drained echoed the through the room. It was soon replaced by the sounds of three infantile cries.

Hiruko walked over to the extremely tired Naruto and smirked. "Congratulations Naruto-kun, you're the father of triplets." Naruto was able to hear before he finally blacked out.

**Chapter End**

**A/N so how was that? Did you like it, hate, indifferent? Didn't expect three did you? Well you'll find out more about Naruto's kids next chapter. To those who it may concern, I have read that a lot of you didn't like the bashing that much and it will stop. I am also planning on redeeming characters so do not worry things will change. Nothing else to really say but please leave a review and have a nice day!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello readers! Welcome to another installment of FtaBH.**

**Happy Birthday, Naruto! 10/10/11**

**So because today is Naruto's birthday and you precious readers left 42 reviews in total last chapter, I worked overtime to get this chapter out in three days! **

**A Special thanks to**_**: Devilzxknight86, brown phantom, Solvdrage, and Hinatasgreatestfan **_**for allowing me to bounce ideas off you guys and your responses to some crazy ideas I had. You guys are awesome!**

**Now I would also like to thank:**

_**Mischa Rowe, orphangrey, Riku Uzumaki, adngo714, twilight dragon god, paranoidbychoice, pandora vanity, puma1sunfire, Trilonias, Dawnstar95, Subzero-Wolf, RasenganFin, SrgntDrew, Lord Anubis Judge of life and death, Dragon Man 180, feduran, Black Rose, Ability King KK, hiNaru Aburame, Baka1chan, sasmith, Hinatasgreatestfan, jimk, Hektols, Mel72000, yinyang13, Solvdrage, second-stooge, yukicrewger2, RasenShuriken92, gamehead64, Eirdaru, m6l99, brown phantom, devilzxknight86, Chewie Cookies, and Rose Tiger **_

**For reviewing (^_^)**

**WARNING:** _You may or may not need a tissue for this chapter…_

**Disclaimer**: I don't own _Naruto_…hehe now they won't suspect me when something dumb happens in the manga. }:)

"Normal"

"_Thoughts"_

"**YELLING or JUTSUS**"

**"Demon talk**"

"_**Demon Thoughts**_"

_**Father to a Blond Hyuga**_

**Chapter 7**

**Hiruko's Laboratory**

Scientists were monitoring the screens that contained the vitals of their three greatest breakthroughs. They were immensely proud of their accomplishment, but there was a slight hiccup that they were trying to figure out. It had been about 3 weeks since the experiment and all was going well until one of the scientists noticed that the children were growing at an accelerated rate. All three of them were growing at a dangerous rate and the scientists were trying to find out the cause.

"Have you discovered anything?" Hiruko asked sternly as he stared at the three pods that contained the children.

"Yes we have, Hiruko-sama…The children have access Kyubi chakra in their systems and it is causing the accelerated growth. The thing is…they are absorbing each other's source when they are near each other. The larger of the Kyubi chakra siphons off the lower one and currently all three are battling for dominance. That is why we put them in the separate pods." Hiruko's assistant said.

"I see…do you have a solution to this unexpected mishap…?" Hiruko asked.

"We do have one, Hiruko-sama. We can place the children with their father. The siphoning seals on him are still active and it will drain the Kyubi chakra back to the father since even in his weakened state, he still contains more Kyubi chakra than the three children combined."

Hiruko smirked. He loved to have an opportunity to mess with Naruto and this seemed like it would benefit his project as well; a double victory in his book.

"Prepare the children. I think it's time for them to see their father…" Hiruko said with a smirk as his assistant bowed and went to do his task.

**Naruto's Cell**

Naruto woke up with one of the biggest headaches ever. Since Hiruko-teme's experiment, Naruto had been waking up with headaches that were worse than hangovers. He did notice a few things though. He woke up in a different cell than he had been in before. This cell wasn't as eye-offending as the sterile white cell and he wasn't strapped to a chair. He had chains wrapped around both his arms and his legs, but they did give him some very limited movement.

"_A lot better than that stupid chair…I think I have splinters in my ass…" _Naruto thought bitterly.

He thought about why he wasn't rescued yet. He wondered if Ero-Sennin was looking for him or if he was still hanging around those sluts in the brothel houses. As much as he tried, he couldn't contain the bitterness he had for the Toad Sage. Still it was his fault for wandering too far off. He trusted Jiraiya with his life so he had to keep hoping that perverted sage would rescue him soon.

Soon the door to his cell was slammed open and Hiruko walked in with that smirk on his face that always pissed Naruto off.

"Ah, it is good to see you awake, Naruto-kun. How do you like your new cell?" Hiruko said with a faux-pleasant voice.

"Oh it's great now! You know now instead of being strapped down, I'm chained down!" Naruto said as he raised his fist in fake exuberance. Naruto looked confused when the chain started to pull his hand back down.

"This a special type of chains, Naruto-kun. Every time you move outside your range of motion, the chains will force your body back to its original position and tighten its resistance." Hiruko said as he stepped just outside the range of Naruto's fist.

Naruto lunged at Hiruko, but he was pulled back by the chains. "Crap…you weren't joking…" Naruto muttered as the chains released the resistance and Naruto sat back down.

"My my…you are still quite hostile, but that can be expected from someone like you." This comment elicited a growl from Naruto.

"Calm down, Naruto-kun, I came here to give you a special gift…or should I say gifts…" Hiruko smirked as Naruto's eyebrow rose in question.

Hiruko snapped his fingers and his assistants wheeled in three carriages holding the three children. Naruto's eyes widened as this was the first time he had seen his children. He absent-mindedly noted that his headache had dissipated.

"We'll leave them in your care for now. Maybe this will teach you how to restrain yourself. You definitely wouldn't hurt your own family, would you?" Hiruko asked rhetorically as his assistants placed the three children in front of Naruto like how a prey would offer a sacrifice to its predator.

Hiruko and his lackeys walked out of the room, but Naruto didn't pay any attention to them. He was focused on the three children in front of him; _**his**_ children.

His cerulean eyes stared into the three different pairs of eyes that stared back at him.

The first one he looked at was a boy. The boy stared at him with the same cerulean blue eyes he had. The little boy had very short, spikey, ink-blue (_**indigo?)**_ hair. Naruto laughed a bit at that. The boy was like his mini-clone, but had his mother's hair color.

Naruto also noticed that this boy was quite active because the little baby kept moving his little arms and legs as if he was a turned upside down turtle. He saw that this boy had the same spark of mischievousness in his eyes as Naruto had when he would pull a prank or had an idea for a prank. If it wasn't for the hair and lack of whisker marks, this boy would have been his exact clone.

Naruto turned his gazed to his second child. He had to stifle a gasp as he looked at his baby girl. The baby girl had short bright-red hair and bright violet eyes. He had seen these characteristics before on the picture of his mother. The little girl had a small, round, and slightly chubby face. Actually the shape and the look of her face seemed to take more after Hinata than his mother's or his. Naruto chuckled a bit.

This little girl was a red-headed version of Hinata. She even had those big, rounds, doe-like eyes that Hinata had. What shocked Naruto was that she had his whisker marks. She had three on each cheek, but they were thinner than his so they looked like pencil lines.

Naruto couldn't explain it, but he could feel the gentle nature the girl radiated. She seemed to have the same calmness about her that her mother possessed. He noticed that her tiny arms were outstretched to him as if she wanted him to pick her up. Naruto complied and hoisted the little girl into his strong arms. The baby cooed and squealed in happiness as she snuggled into Naruto's grasp. She even reached up to touch Naruto's whisker marks.

Naruto smiled as the little girl's small hand touched his whisker marks. He used his fingers to trace over the little girl's whisker marks. She was too cute for her own good in Naruto's opinion.

Naruto turned to his final child. He was a boy as well, but he looked and acted radically different from his brother. This boy had short spikey hair, but it was blond like Naruto's and his grandfather's. The shapes of his eyes were more like Minato's than Naruto's or Hinata's. They were large, but sharp eyes. Unlike Naruto's eyes, which were shaped like lemons, or Hinata's eyes, which were rounder, Minato's eyes were more like elongated parallelograms. Naruto noted that the baby had what Hiruko wanted in this project; the fabled Byakugan. The baby's eyes were pupil less and had a tint of lavender in them, like his mother's eyes.

Unlike his hyper brother, the blond baby seemed calm and just stared at Naruto with curiosity swimming through his lavender pools. Like his sister, Naruto could feel the gentle aura the baby radiated, but he also felt the confidence he had as well. He questioned how he could feel these emotions, but he decided to think about that later. It seemed like this baby acquired the best from both Naruto and Hinata.

Naruto was snapped out of his thoughts when his baby girl started tugging on his blond locks. Naruto laughed a bit at the squeals of happiness the little girl emitted every time she tugged on Naruto's hair. Being locked up in captivity for as long as he had had caused Naruto's hair to almost reach his shoulders in length. His hair now resembled his father's even more now since his bangs grew to a point where it framed his face.

While the girl wasn't tugging that hard, Naruto noticed that she had an iron-like grip around his hair and he probably wasn't getting that part of his hair back until the little girl grew tired.

"Wow…all of you are so small…" Naruto whispered somberly. Soon his space split into a smile of true happiness as he took all three of his children into his arms.

"I promise I'll protect all three of you with all that I am." Naruto said with the utmost confidence.

The babies in his arms obviously didn't understand him, but that didn't mean they didn't react. The baby girl squealed and made happy baby noises while the boy also squealed and waved his arms around wildly. The blond one continued to stare at Naruto, but now it had a mixture of awe in his gaze.

"Now…what should I call you three…?" Naruto muttered.

Naruto pondered what he should name his children as he gazed at the three babies in his arms.

"Hmm…I think I'll call you…Minato…after my dad since you look like him…" Naruto said to the blond baby boy. The boy actually made a sound that somewhat sounded like a confirmation which caused Naruto to smile and tousle Minato's blonde locks with his free hand.

He turned to the red-headed baby girl and smiled. She still hadn't released his blond bang yet.

"You've got a strong grip…" Naruto said lovingly as the girl giggled cutely. "I think I'll call you Kushina…yeah that's a good name…You look like you inherited a lot of your looks from my mother so it seems like a good choice…don't you agree?" Naruto said rhetorically, but the baby just giggled happily as Naruto tickled her tummy.

Naruto turned to his final child. The blue haired boy hadn't stop fidgeting since Naruto had picked him up.

"You're quite the little troublemaker, aren't you? Ha-ha…apparently it runs in the family…Now what should I call you…you're like a whirling tide; always moving in circles…That's it! I'll call you Uzushiomaru…the perfect whirlpool…hmm maybe I'll just call you Uzu for short…" Naruto said as he placed his hand on his chin.

"From now on, you will be known as Uzushiomaru, Kushina, and Minato Uzumaki and I, Naruto Uzumaki, promise I'll be the best father I can for you guys." Naruto said lovingly as he held his children close to him.

**1 Month Later**

This may sound bizarre, but Naruto was quite happy in the situation he was in. He was still locked up, but now he would get to take care of his children most of the time. Hiruko never admitted the true reason why Naruto was allowed to take care of his kids, nor did he question it. He was just focused on taking care of his kids.

He would tell them some stories of his misadventures and he would play with them. Sometimes he would even be allowed to feed them with a bottle. Naruto seemed to have calmed down immensely since his children were given to him. He would stay calm until one of the assistants tried to take away his children for "tests". Naruto then would revert back to his hostile self until his kids were returned to him.

Naruto learned about his babies in the short amount of time he had been with them.

Kushina was Daddy's little girl. She always wanted to be held by Naruto and she would throw a fit whenever she wasn't with her father. She was also a very happy baby when she was with her father. As long as Naruto was near, Kushina would never cry. She also had a fixation with blond hair. Naruto would sometimes have to pull her away from Minato because Kushina would try to pull his hair like how she did with him. Of course Minato didn't appreciate it like he did so Minato would always crawl away from Kushina.

Uzu was just like he thought. The little bundle of energy never stopped moving. He could give the Energizer Bunny a run for his money. Uzu would crawl around Naruto like how the moon orbited the Earth for hours on end without getting tired. It baffled Naruto that the boy could have so much energy, but then he would remember that the boy was his son. He also acquired Naruto's prankster ways. On occasion, Uzu crawl around his chains and would yank them past their limits which would cause Naruto to recoil from the force. Of course the baby would just giggle as he looked at his dad in an awkward pose.

Minato was the quiet one of the group. Naruto noted that Minato would never cry…like ever…He thought it was weird, but didn't push the subject further. Minato would do his own thing most of the time. He would stare at Naruto with his Lavender eyes and tilt his head as if to question what Naruto was doing. Naruto would just pick up the boy and rest him on his knee as he tickled the boy's tummy. Naruto figured that Minato got his reserved nature from Hinata and that he would have to initiate the connection for Minato to join in. Uzu and Kushina just came straight to Naruto, but Minato didn't until Naruto took initiative. The boy was still reserved around his brother and sister, but he was more open around Naruto. Naruto figured he'd fix the sibling relationship later.

Naruto was enjoying another day with his children. Kushina was in his arms like always and she was once again pulling on Naruto's yellow locks. Uzushiomaru was playing around with his brother. He would crawl around Minato and then run into him like a bulldozer. Minato would just look curiously at Uzu's actions before he would get up and nudge Uzu with his head which caused the blue-haired baby to fall on his side.

Naruto chuckled as he watched his two boys interact. Minato was slowly coming out of his shell around Uzu, but he still stayed away from Kushina since she would pull his hair whenever she got the chance.

Naruto had to admit that he liked this sense of responsibility he had now. At first it scared him to think that these three fragile children were in his care, but now he embraced his role and he couldn't be happier…well if he was free then he would be walking on sunshine!

Naruto looked up and laughed silently. Uzu and Minato had tired themselves out and both were curled up like two sleeping puppies. Kushina had released her grip on Naruto's hair. It was telltales sign that she getting tired. She was making cute baby gurgles that she always did when she was tired and she looked like she was trying to keep her eyelids open. Naruto kissed both eyelids shut before he kissed her on her forehead.

"Sweet dreams, Kushi-chan…sweet dreams Uzu-kun and Minato-kun…" Naruto whispered as he kissed all three of his kids on their foreheads.

Even though Kushina was obviously the most affectionate, Naruto did not play favorites with his kids. He loved them all equally and if he had a chance to go back and not be captured, he wouldn't take it because that would mean that he would have never met his kids. They gave him a purpose that he never dreamed of having.

Naruto closed his eyes to meditate a bit since he knew he could really fall asleep. Every time he fell asleep, he would stretch out past his limits and he would be awakened by the pulling chains. Naruto heard the door open and sensed two men walk in. Naruto bit back a growl when he felt the loss of weight where his children were.

"Damn, these brats are getting heavier each time." One of the thugs grunted.

"Of course, they're babies! They're always growing you idiot." The second voice said.

"Yeah well, at least the redhead and the blue one won't be there for much longer. Raikage-sama said he didn't care about the other and he's ordering Hiruko-sama to focus only on the Byakugan one." The first voice said and Naruto visibly tensed at the man's words.

"Ain't that a shame? The redhead might have been quite the looker when she grew up." Naruto could feel his killing intent slipping past his grasp, but the two men seemed oblivious to it.

"That's disgusting! By the time she grows up, you'll be old enough to be her grandfather you sick fuck!" The first voice yelled.

"Shut up! You're going to wake them! As for the girl, it won't matter, she's gonna be dead along with the boy soon enough. C'mon, let's get them to the lab. Let's let them go in their sleep. It'll be a peaceful passing that way." The second voice said.

"Whatever…pedophile…" the first voice said as he slammed to door closed.

Naruto was left in silence as he processed what those two men said…The Raikage was somehow behind his abduction and he was giving out the main orders…Now he ordered the deaths of Uzu-kun and Kushi-chan…Rage burned into Naruto's system and he felt the fire course through his veins.

He subconsciously entered his mindscape and came in front of the downed fox. He hadn't been in his mindscape since his abduction. Now he needed power to save his kids and he wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"WAKE UP YOU STUPID FOX!" Naruto shouted with pure malice in his voice.

Kyubi managed to crack open his eye and saw Naruto staring at him with a burning rage in his eye.

"**Good to see you are still alive, ningen…"** Kyubi said as he gave a pained filled grin.

"Enough pleasantries, Kyubi, I need your power ad I need it now!" Naruto said urgently.

Kyubi quirked an eyebrow and noticed that the hatred in Naruto's eyes weren't directed towards him.

Kyubi smirked as he saw how much hatred and anger was in Naruto's eyes. He would appease his jailer for now since he wanted to see what this Naruto would do in this situation.

"**It shall be done, Jailor. I have saved enough energy to give you three tails worth of chakra. Use it to destroy your enemies."** Kyubi commanded.

"Oh I will…they will suffer for trying to harm my kids…" Naruto said darkly as he faded out of his mindscape.

"_**Kids…? How long have I been asleep**_?" Kyubi thought before he pumped as much energy as he could to Naruto.

Naruto felt the burning sensation in his veins and he knew that the Kyubi chakra was in his system again. He focused all his energy into his seal and with a primal roar he overloaded al the seals on his main seal. The stored energy ruptured the siphoning seals and allowed the stored energy to flow back into Naruto. Of course overloading seals to explode is a painful process, but Naruto didn't care. He needed to save his children.

Naruto then noticed that he had entered the first stage of the Kyubi cloak. His whisker marks darkened and his eyes turned red. With another furious roar, Naruto snapped the chains that were holding him down. Naruto leapt at the door and tore it off its hinges. What Naruto didn't know was that by doing that, he set off the alarms throughout the facility. The sirens mixed with Naruto's own growing rage sent many non-combatant members running. Naruto didn't notice, but a third tail of chakra formed behind him as started thrashing widely at anything in his way.

Soon some metal doors came down and tried to cut Naruto off from his path, but that didn't hinder Naruto as he smashed through the thick mental with a couple of hits. Members of the security force came to try to contain Naruto, but they soon met the same fate as everything in Naruto's path. Naruto tore limbs off indiscriminately as he plowed through anything that stood in his way. One brave fool tried to rush Naruto from behind, but he was decapitated by the chakra tails. Blood and severed limbs surrounded Naruto as continued to massacre his way to Hiruko's lab.

A red pillar of Chakra shot out of Naruto and through the roof as his fourth tail of chakra emerged. The crimson chakra coated Naruto all over and turned him into a mini-Kyubi-human hybrid. Naruto started to fire off chakra condensed rays of energy in random directions. Eventually part of the facility started to collapse on itself. Soon a man with a red coat and white hair leapt down to Naruto from the hole that was recently created.

"Naruto…I finally found you…" Jiraiya said as he stared as his godson.

**20 Minutes Earlier**

Jiraiya had been searching for Naruto non-stop for the past months. He had used every source of information he had to try and locate anything about the Akatsuki whereabouts. All lead him to dead ends and he was losing his patience. He knew Naruto was still alive out there since is name was still on the toad contract, but he was being held somewhere where the toads couldn't reverse summon to him. Fukusaku, the toad elder, had surmised that Naruto was in an area that disrupts his chakra so they couldn't give a pinpoint location. They were able to tell Jiraiya that Naruto was somewhere in Lightning country.

The toads had threatened Jiraiya that if he didn't get Naruto back, they would break the contract with him. They were all highly disappointed that Naruto was abducted while Jiraiya was wasting his time in a whore house.

Shima, Fukusaku's wife, gave an earful after she found out what happened to Naruto. She may have not met the boy, but she had heard great things about him from her grandchildren, Gamakichi and Gamatatsu. Even her grumpy son, Gamabunta, respected this Naruto kid so he had to be a decent person. It didn't help Jiraiya when Gamabunta told the elders that Naruto was Minato's son. Shima threatened to castrate Jiraiya with her rolling pin if he didn't get the boy back soon.

Jiraiya had been disgusted with himself for allowing this to happen to his godson. He was going to ask Tsunade to send a search party and endure her brutal beating, but he decided not to since Naruto was in the Land of Lighting. The Land of Fire and Lightning never had a great relationship with each other. If Tsunade sent a squad into Lightning country, the Raikage would have said that it was a hostile act even if they were trying to find one of their own. The Raikage was stubborn like that and if he found out that Naruto was a Jinchuriki, he would send his own men to capture Naruto for himself…_** (A/N: Irony…)**_

So Jiraiya searched everywhere for his lost apprentice by himself. He refused to look at another woman until he had found Naruto. It was his vow to himself. Jiraiya eventually retraced his steps back to the village where it all happened. He was just resting and preparing to leave when he saw a pillar of crimson chakra shoot out from the mountain range. Jiraiya's eyes widened as he knew where that source of energy came from.

"Don't worry, Naruto…I'm on my way…I just hope I'm not too late…" Jiraiya said to himself as he summoned the largest toad he could so he could close the distance between him and Naruto.

**Present Time**

While Jiraiya was immensely relieved to see his godson, he still knew that he had to calm down Naruto and get him out of this facility. Kyubi-Naruto didn't recognize Jiraiya and only saw him as a threat that stood in his way of getting his children back.

Naruto roared at Jiraiya and charged blindly at him while destroying everything in his path. Jiraiya narrowly dodged as he used a Rasengan to hit Naruto away from him. Jiraiya then shunshined in front of the downed Naruto and placed a suppression seal on Naruto's forehead. All the Kyubi chakra left Naruto's system immediately. Naruto was exhausted, but he looked up to see Jiraiya staring back at him with a smile on his face.

"…Ero-Sennin…" Naruto croaked.

"Yeah, it's me Naruto. We have to get out of here now, this place is falling apart." Jiraiya said urgently and he hefted Naruto up.

"NO! I need…I need to get to…the…the labs…they have…my…kids…" Naruto panted out.

"What the hell are you talking about, Naruto?" Jiraiya asked completely confused.

"You need to get me to the lab…we don't have much time…" Naruto said urgently as he tried to go towards where the lab was. Jiraiya sighed and placed Naruto's arm over his shoulder and helped him go to the lab area.

Soon Naruto and Jiraiya found the lab. Naruto saw Minato still in his crib. He guessed some of the scientists abandoned him when the alarms went off. Naruto went to Minato and scooped him into his arms. Minato stared at Naruto for a couple of seconds before he made a happy baby squeal. Naruto smiled at his son and handed him to a completely baffled Jiraiya.

"Jiraiya this is Minato my son, Minato-kun this is you granddaddy, Ero-Jiji. Be nice until I find your brother and sister." Naruto said as he turned back around to find Kushina and Uzushiomaru.

Jiraiya just stared at the baby in his arms. He was dumbstruck to what was going on.

Naruto went all the way to the end of the lab with Jiraiya right behind him. Naruto found his two sleeping babies all strapped to some contraption. His eyes widened when he saw a needle filled with some green liquid inject the fluids into his children's arms. Soon the heart monitor started to slow down until it flat-lined.

"No…no…NO" Naruto yelled as he ran towards his kids, but the ceiling started to collapse. A slate of the ceiling landed right in front of Naruto and separated him from the bodies of Kushina and Uzushiomaru.

"Naruto we have to go!" Jiraiya shouted.

"I'm not leaving without them!" Naruto shouted back as he dodged another slate of ceiling from falling on him.

"Naruto, they are gone! We have to go now!" Jiraiya shouted as he ran towards his pupil.

"They're not gone! I have to get them!" Naruto defiantly shouted back.

Jiraiya sighed, he knew Naruto was going to be pissed about what he was going to do, but he needed to get him out of here. Jiraiya ran over to Naruto and placed a paralyzing seal on Naruto and then hoisted him onto his shoulder.

"Jiraiya let me go! I have to save them! LET ME GO!" Naruto shouted, but Jiraiya ignored him as they ran to the closest exit. Jiraiya barely made it out of exit before the opening collapsed upon it and forever sealing that way up.

Jiraiya placed Minato down first and made sure the baby was okay. He was okay since there wasn't even a scratch on him. He didn't even cry through the whole ordeal. Jiraiya then turned to his pupil and removed the seal. As soon as Naruto could move, he punched Jiraiya directly in the face and ran back to the blocked entrance.

He started to pull rocks out of the way as he tried to go back in for his missing children.

Jiraiya got back up and rubbed his sore jaw. He watched sadly as Naruto continued to break back into the base in vain.

"Naruto…"

Naruto didn't hear him or was ignoring him because he didn't stop trying to push the rubble out of the way.

"Naruto…"

Once again, Naruto ignored Jiraiya's call as he moved another boulder out of the way. He dropped to his knees in exhaustion, but he continued to pull rocks out of the way.

Jiraiya walked over to his pupil and placed a hand on his shoulder. Naruto snapped his gaze back to Jiraiya who just stared at him with eyes filled with sympathy.

"They're gone, Naruto…there's nothing you can do…" Those words echoed through Naruto head. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Jiraiya was right and Kushina and Uzushiomaru were gone…

Naruto gave out a sorrowed and pained filled howl as he finally broke down. He didn't even try to hide his tears or his anguish from the world. He had just lost two of his most precious people to him and he had broken his promise to them.

"Why…why them, why did you take them away from me, Kami? They were just babies dammit! WHY?" Naruto shouted to the sky as the tears streamed down his face.

"I'm sorry Naruto…" Jiraiya said mournfully as he gave Naruto's shoulder a squeeze of comfort.

"Why, Jiraiya? They were just born…they were innocent they didn't deserve to lose their lives like this! It should have been me dammit!" Naruto cried harder as he slammed his fists into the ground.

"This is the life we live in. Sometimes the innocent get caught in the crossfire and there is nothing we can do about it…but you have to be strong now, Naruto…you still have to be there for Minato…" Jiraiya said gently as he handed Minato to Naruto.

"Minato…" Naruto whispered his son's name as he gently brushed Minato's yellow locks. Naruto started to cry again as he held his son close to him as if Minato would disappear if he let go of him.

Minato seemed to notice his father's sadness and for first time in his young life, Minato cried. He and his father cried for the loss of their family…

**Destroyed Base: Opposite Exit**

Two men panted as they tried to catch their breath. They had spent most of their time dodging and ducking rubble as they made a break to the exit. Between their arms, they each held a small bundle. They were obviously children because both were crying their little lungs out.

"Kami…that was too close." The first one said.

It was the same man who had originally taken Uzushiomaru from Naruto. His partner who took Kushina was standing next to him. Both were panting and sweating like crazy. Their Kumogakure headbands shined in the sun.

"I'll say. We could have gotten the blond one too, if it wasn't for the fox boy coming through that entrance. Oh well, he won't know about these two at least. My clone doubles would have fooled him. There was no chance he would have gotten close enough to tell the difference with a slab falling on top of him." The second one said.

"Yeah, good thinking… He would have been searching high and low for these two. Now he'll just leave so he can get away from this place. It's just too bad we couldn't get the one with the Byakugan. Raikage-sama won't be pleased. The first man said as an uneasy look crossed his face.

"Don't worry, these two have the Byakugan genes so when they grow up, there's a chance that they'll bear a Byakugan user. He'll be pissed, but we'll raise these two so they'll become his personal bodyguards." The second man said.

"Yeah, but I'm raising the girl. There is no way in hell that I would allow her to be in your care, you pedophile." The first man said as he grabbed the redheaded girl and switched her with the blue haired boy.

"Geez, you can't take a goddamn joke. Fine, I'll take care of the boy. Let's just get back to Kumogakure." The second one said as he rolled his eyes. Both men took off in the direction with the two children in their arms.

**Destroyed Base: Secret Exit**

Hiruko groaned as he stumbled out of his destroyed base. After all that time…after all his hard work…all of it was gone due to stupid order. If the Raikage didn't order for the deaths to the non-Hyuga, who knows how long Naruto would have stayed complacent. Hiruko was tired of it. He was tired of taking orders. Now it was his time to be in charge and he knew where to start. He was going to finish his work on his Chimera Project. Soon he will be immortal with the powers of the Kekkai Genkai then he was going to destroy that oaf of a Raikage, A. After that he would go after the second cause to all his problems…Naruto…

"Enjoy your freedom now, Naruto-kun…because soon you will be bowing before me right before I end your miserable existence…" Hiruko whispered as he limped away from his destroyed base.

**Chapter End**

**A/N okay now that was a very sad chapter…DON'T KILL ME PLEASE! Tell what you thought about this chapter. Did you like it, hate it, or indifferent about it. Review or you'll make Minato sad.**

**Minato uses Puppy Eye no Jutsu on the Reader: How can you resist those lavender pools when they look so big and sad **

**D:**

**That's all for now folks. Get ready for next chapter!**

**Ja Ne**


	8. Chapter 8

**Oh dear Kami, it's been a long time...I'm really sorry for the long wait, but between school, finals, and illnesses I haven't had a lot of time to write. You guys deserved a lot better especially since there was 60 reviews for that single chapter! I literally spit my coffee on my friend who was next to me when I saw that. He wasn't having a good day anyway...;)**

**Anyways I finally have the next chapter up and yes I know I'm still a bastard for what I did last chapter, but they shall be reunited soon...ish...**

**Disclaimer**: I don't own _Naruto_…Why do you ask? It's pretty obvious by now…

"Normal"

"_Thoughts"_

"**YELLING or JUTSUS**"

**"Demon talk**"

"_**Demon Thoughts**_"

_**Father to a Blond Hyuga**_

_**Chapter 8**_

_**Hotel near the Land of Fire**_

It had been a week since Jiraiya had rescued Naruto from his imprisonment. Naruto had not been the same since the deaths of his children. He rarely left his room, or his bed for that matter. At times, Jiraiya would catch Naruto staring aimlessly at nothing. The perverted man was starting to worry about his pupil. At first, he left Naruto alone to see if the blond would bounce back to his old self like he always did, but now he knew he would have to intervene before Naruto withered away in his own despair.

Jiraiya sighed as he balanced Minato in one arm and Naruto's dinner in the other. Naruto hadn't been eating with him or Minato, but chose to take his meals in his room, though Jiraiya suspected that he just threw them away.

Minato was making the standard baby gurgles and sounds while Jiraiya carried him. Jiraiya was surprised by the baby's demeanor. Besides that dreadful day, baby Minato never made much fuss. He wouldn't cry unless he needed to be changed, and most of the time, he would just stare at him like he was trying to solve a riddle about him. It unnerved Jiraiya at first, but he got over it quickly. He had even summoned Fukasaku just to make sure the kid was healthy and he was relieved to find out that Minato was in perfect health.

Shima, Fukasaku's wife, came to see what all the fuss was about and basically fell in love with Minato's cuteness. Both elderly toads practically demanded that Jiraiya allow the infant to sign the toad contract when he came of age, which Jiraiya promised to do, so long as Naruto agreed, since he was the father. The toads nodded in agreement before sending their condolences to Naruto. Naruto had never met them, so it would have been awkward to greet the lad when he was not himself, and Jiraiya insisted that he would help Naruto return back to his former self.

The two toads reluctantly agreed to let Jiraiya handle the situation, but told him to summon them immediately if things got out of hand.

Jiraiya stood in front of Naruto's door before he let out another sigh of discomfort. He shifted Minato in his arm so he could free his hand up to grab the tray and then knocked on Naruto's door.

"Naruto, open the door. I have dinner," Jiraiya called out.

At first, Naruto didn't make a noise, but then Jiraiya heard some footsteps coming towards the door. Naruto slid the door open slightly, but didn't open it all the way.

"Just leave it near the door. I'll get it when I'm hungry," Naruto said lowly.

Jiraiya gasped at Naruto's appearance. From what he saw, Naruto looked like he was on the verge of death. His eyes were bloodshot and there were dark shadows under his eyes, indicating that he hadn't slept much. His face looked ghastly since he hadn't showered or shaved since his rescue. All in all, Naruto looked nothing like the boy Jiraiya knew.

Without thinking, Jiraiya pushed open the door and walked into the room, knocking Naruto to the floor in the process. Naruto's eyes looked murderous, yet empty at the same time.

"What is your problem, Jiraiya?" Naruto shouted at his sensei.

Jiraiya looked at the boy in front of him with a sad expression before he steeled his nerves. He realized now that Naruto wouldn't be able to get out of this mess on his own and he needed to awaken the old Naruto soon, before he was lost forever.

"Naruto, this has gone on long enough. You need to snap out of this now!" Jiraiya said as he stared down at Naruto.

Naruto surged to his feet and, glaring at his sensei, yelled back at him, "Who the hell do you think you are? You think I can just shrug off what just happened like it never happened? You think I can just forget about my lost children? Fuck you, Jiraiya! You'll never understand the pain I'm feeling right now! You have no idea what it's like to lose a child, let alone two!"

Jiraiya punched Naruto in the face and knocked him back to the floor. Jiraiya's eyes were cold, but contained a twinge of sadness in them.

"Naruto…" Jiraiya whispered softly before he knelt down besides his protégé. "Naruto, I've fought in two separate Shinobi Wars. I've witnessed millions of atrocities during my time on this planet. I've seen some of my best friends slaughtered before my eyes. I've watched the women I've fallen for die or have their hearts shattered to pieces. I've lost apprentices that I've loved like they were my own children…your father included…" Jiraiya said with a dead tone as he remembered Minato and the Ame orphans he helped.

"Each time I lost a precious person, I felt like a part of me died with them. The pain…it's unbearable…so before you start spouting off that I don't know how you feel, you should know that I do know how it feels. I know the feeling all too well…" Jiraiya looked at Naruto and saw the different emotions swirling in his eyes.

"How…how do you make the pain go away…?" Naruto asked lowly.

Jiraiya sighed as he ran his free hand through his white mane.

"The pain never goes away, Naruto. It dulls and fades over time, but it never truly leaves you. You have to accept the fact that you tried your best, but it wasn't enough this time. I know it hurts, Naruto, but Kami still blessed you with this third child. You still have to protect him and you sure aren't going to be able to do that if you're locked in this room," Jiraiya said as he motioned around the messy room.

"How can I protect Minato if I failed to protect his siblings?" Naruto asked tensely.

Jiraiya looked Naruto straight in the eyes before answering, "Get stronger…that's all you can really do. You've always pushed yourself to become stronger, but now you have a tangible purpose with this child," Jiraiya concluded as he handed Minato over to Naruto.

The two blonds stared at each other for a while before Minato broke their staring contest with a giggle. The baby then proceeded to play with the bangs that framed Naruto's face.

For the first time since escaping his confinement, Naruto smiled. He smiled a true smile as he gazed at his son. He had failed Uzushiomaru and Kushina, but he wasn't going to fail Minato.

Jiraiya smiled when he saw Naruto smiling. "There's the Naruto I know…" Jiraiya said.

As soon as Jiraiya said that, Naruto's smile faltered. "No…the Naruto you knew is dead, Jiraiya…If I was like the old Naruto, I would have died in that cave to protect Uzushiomaru and Kushina. I should have died instead of them…I'm not the same and I'll never be able to return to that happy-go-lucky façade I used to have. Now, I'm more focused and ready to accomplish my only reason to keep living…" Naruto finished ominously.

"What would that be, Naruto?" Jiraiya asked hesitantly.

"My only goal now is to protect my son. I will not allow him to be harmed by anyone and I will tear apart anything that dares threaten him," Naruto responded hotly as his eyes flashed red for a bit.

"What about your dream of being Hokage?" Jiraiya asked.

His response was a hollow laugh that would haunt Jiraiya's nightmares for a long time.

"Me…Hokage…How can I be responsible for protecting the village when I failed to protect my own family? No…the position of Hokage deserves someone more fit than I…" Naruto responded before he handed Minato back to Jiraiya.

"I…I need to shave and shower…I need to be ready if we're going to get serious with our training." Naruto said.

"I think we should head back to the village now. You need to have a medical and psychiatric test and I'm not qualified to administer either…" Jiraiya trailed off.

"NO…No…I'm…I'm not ready to face them after my failure. I'm not ready to face _**her**_ yet…Please, Jiraiya, all I ask is for six months. I can't face anyone in the condition I'm in," Naruto said as he stared at his hands.

"Kid, you got to stop saying you failed. You did everything you could and I doubt anyone else would have been able do more than you did. You tried your best…" Jiraiya tried to comfort the boy.

"My best wasn't enough! I know I tried everything to get to them, hell I even allowed that damn fox to rampage through the base! In the end I still lost my son and my daughter!" Naruto shouted back before he took a couple of breaths to calm himself.

"Jiraiya, how about we make a deal? You train me for the six months, and we return not a day later. I will immediately seek out the help I need as soon as we return. If you feel like we need to return early due to my condition, then I will not argue about it," Naruto said seriously.

Jiraiya thought about his options. On one hand, Naruto would need the help as soon as possible, but once they returned to the village, they wouldn't be allowed to leave and Jiraiya wouldn't be able to teach him while he was recovering. Not to mention that some people in the village may try to pull Naruto's Shinobi license if they heard that Naruto was in need of psychiatric help.

The second scenario seemed more appealing since Naruto agreed he would return voluntarily if he acted out too much and it was only for a half year. Jiraiya would be able to teach him and he still had the chance of returning whenever.

"…_I can also postpone my imminent demise once Tsunade finds out what happened…"_ Jiraiya thought darkly.

"Fine kid, you got half a year of time. I'm going to be training you into the ground, but I'm also going to have to teach you other things…" Jiraiya finished mysteriously.

"Like what?" Naruto asked curiously.

Jiraiya smirked before he hoisted Minato in front of Naruto's face. "You're a dad now, so you have to start acting like an adult. Minato is solely your responsibility. I'm going to help out, but you are now in charge of guiding this little brat and making sure he goes down the right path," Jiraiya said seriously.

Naruto's eyes widened a bit before he smirked. "Who the hell are you to call my son a brat, you old pervert!" Naruto said playfully.

Jiraiya smirked when he saw the shift in Naruto's attitude. "I call them like I see them, brat! He's your son so who knows what trouble he's bound to get into."

"Oh, like you are one to talk? How many times have you been caught peeping at women just so you could write your smut? I should keep Minato-kun away from you so he doesn't gain any of your perverted traits!" Naruto mock-glared at Jiraiya and pointed an accusing finger at him.

"It's not smut! It's good literature that has millions of fans all over the Elemental Nations! Of course, you wouldn't know, since you've never picked up a book in your life."

Jiraiya stopped his rant and lifted Minato so they were eye-to-eye. "Mini-Brat, pray to Kami that you gained your mother's intelligence because your father is thicker than concrete. I mean he didn't even know your mother liked him until she basically spelled it out for him," Jiraiya said as he gave a sideways glance over to Naruto.

Naruto's face was red with anger, and Jiraiya was pretty sure he saw steam shooting out of Naruto's ears.

"ERO-SENNIN!" Naruto bellowed before he chased after a laughing Jiraiya and Minato.

"He may say the old Naruto is gone, but I know he's still there…all he needs is a little push, right Mini-brat?" Jiraiya whispered to Minato as he ran away from the angry Naruto.

Minato just responded with a fit of amused baby giggles.

**4 Month Later**

Jiraiya had kept his promise and trained Naruto into the ground. Jiraiya would have Naruto wake up at four in the morning and train him in almost everything he knew.

The mornings consisted of hours of relentless Taijutsu, weight, speed, and tracking training. Since Jiraiya explained that shadow clones didn't transfer physical effort, Naruto mostly did this training by himself or with Jiraiya as a sparring partner/tracking target. He was nowhere near as fast as Lee with his weights on, but he could give Kiba a good run for his money in terms of speed and tracking.

The afternoon training was mostly chakra control and Ninjutsu training. Naruto also learned how to manipulate his element thanks to the help of a few…thousand shadow clones. He could shape his wind element into his kunai to increase their range, but he also could form it around his hands in a pseudo-claw attack. Jiraiya also taught him a couple of wind jutsus along with some stealth jutsus to bolster Naruto's arsenal.

The evening was time for relaxation for Naruto. He wasn't allowed to do any physical training, but he was tutored in the finer arts of society and politics. Naruto had a basic understanding of some politics thanks to the Sandaime, but he was also warned about the dangers of it.

"_Naruto, my boy, never get involved in politics if you can avoid it. The world of politics is more cutthroat than our line of work…" the Sandaime told a young Naruto._

"_Jiji-san, I thought we were supposed to be assassins?" replied a confused Naruto._

"_Exactly," the Sandaime said ambiguously._

Naruto didn't understand what the Sandaime was talking about back then, but he sure did now. Jiraiya had him go over court cases and legal files when they studied together. Naruto even read about a politician who sold out his own mother just to raise his influence in a city district. After reading similar stories, Naruto was briefly reminded of the sleaze-ball from his first C-rank, Gato. If men like Gato existed in the political world, then Naruto wanted no part of it.

Jiraiya also taught him the responsibilities of being a father. Jiraiya made sure that Naruto spent time with Minato and tended to him when he needed it. Luckily for Naruto, the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu was the ultimate multitasking tool. Naruto would always have a clone…or five…near Minato at all times. While Jiraiya lectured one Naruto, the others would receive the information and execute it to the fullest.

This routine went on for four solid months. Jiraiya had noticed that Naruto was starting to be like his old self, but not in the good way. Jiraiya would notice that the joy, smiles and laughter Naruto emitted all seemed to be forced instead of being natural. Jiraiya didn't call the boy out on it because it didn't seem to be affecting his performance, though he did pay more attention in case Naruto relapsed into his depression.

The only time when he seemed genuinely happy was when he was taking care of Minato, or talking about Hinata. Jiraiya laughed when he noticed that Naruto was head over heels about the Hyuga Heiress, but he frowned whenever Naruto talked down about himself or said that Hinata deserves better than him.

That was one thing that changed about Naruto. He was overly critical about his own performance and always downplaying his achievements. Jiraiya had complimented him on learning elemental composition so quickly, but Naruto said it wasn't such a big deal. The more Jiraiya thought about it, the more he started to think it was time to go home and have Naruto checked on.

He was broken from his train of thoughts when Minato made a gurgling sound. Jiraiya had been carrying the boy with him so Naruto could go relax a bit. Since Naruto decided to go to the hot-springs, Jiraiya decided to walk around town and not risk Naruto spotting him and kicking his old ass halfway across the Elemental Nations.

"Okay mini-brat, let's go find something to do since it's just you and me," Jiraiya said as he looked down at the baby.

"Dah," Minato replied.

Minato obviously couldn't talk yet, but he did make odd sounds that Jiraiya and Naruto recognized as "yes" or "no". "Dah" meant yes, "Bah" meant no.

"Okay…what to do…what to do…" Jiraiya muttered to himself as he walked around a crowded market street.

"Well since your father isn't around, I should probably have a heart-to-heart with you," Jiraiya said to Minato.

"Dah?" Minato replied with a confused expression.

"Yeah, we're going to have one now. I think you should learn about the most dangerous species on this planet, women…" Jiraiya said as he stroked his chin with his free hand.

"…Bah…" Minato whispered as a sweat-drop appeared on the back of his head.

"There's no avoiding this, mini-brat. Your father is thicker than concrete with women and I won't allow his thickness to reach you as well!" Jiraiya said with a determined glint in his eyes.

"…Dah…?" Minato hissed as he tried to free himself from Jiraiya.

"Where do you think you're going?" Jiraiya asked as he readjusted his arm to get a better grip on the struggling Minato.

"Now, where was I? Oh yeah, women…they are the most cunning species on this planet. They can be the fiercest warriors or the sliest tricksters. Never underestimate a woman because it will ALWAYS come back to bite you in the ass. Do you understand?" Jiraiya asked as he looked down at the baby in his arms.

Minato gave an unnoticeable sigh in defeat before saying, "…Dah…"

"Also, they are always one step ahead of you, so you can never win against him."

"…Dah…"

"You can never win an argument against them so never try…the Nara learned this lesson ages ago…"

"…Dah…"

"Are you just agreeing with me because you're not paying attention?" Jiraiya asked as he glared at Minato.

"…Dah…" Minato said absentmindedly.

"Damn brats…they're never giving me any respect…though he's not even old enough to know what respect is…" Jiraiya grumbled as he walked into a bakery.

"Hello sir, what can I do for you today?" A perky brunette behind the counter asked.

"_Oh you can do me any time…"_ Jiraiya's perverse mind thought.

"I'll have two cinnamon buns and some chocolate milk for my grandson, sweetheart," Jiraiya replied smoothly.

The girl looked at Minato for the first time and Jiraiya swore he saw the girl's eyes turn into heart-shaped pupils…maybe it was a kekkei genkai…

"Oh my, you have such a cute grandson, sir! But you don't look that old besides your white hair…" The girl said as she looked at Jiraiya.

"Oh you are too sweet, my umm…son…Naruto is actually only 15…" Jiraiya said as he saw the girl gasp at his statement.

"He's my age! Wow, and he's raising a child? Well, he must be okay since you're here to help him. Umm, sir I know this may sound awkward, but me and a couple of my friends' shifts are ending soon and we'd like to show you and this adorable angel around town," the perky brunette said as she played with Minato's tiny fingers.

Jiraiya's eyes lit up like it was Christmas. "Of course, my dear, I must say it is such a noble thing for you and your friends to take your time out to spend it with an old man and his grandson," Jiraiya said kindly.

"_Oh Kami, this is great! I get hot babes to take care of the brat and I get to research them in the open! If I knew babies were such chick magnets, I might have dragged Naruto with me when he was born despite what Sarutobi-sensei said," _Jiraiya thought perversely.

Jiraiya waited for the brunette to finish her shift as he and Minato hung around the counter. Minato had apparently developed Hinata's love for cinnamon buns because he kept trying to reach for one before the nice brunette mashed it up for him so he could swallow it. Jiraiya's patience was rewarded when the brunette's friends arrived…along with their very attractive mothers…

"_Kami must be thanking me for something I did…"_ Jiraiya thought as he gazed at the beauties in front of him.

The groups of girls surrounded Minato and were spouting baby talk at him while their mothers talked with Jiraiya.

"You have quite an adorable son, mister...?" one of them said.

"My name is Jiraiya, beautiful, and the baby is not my son. He's my grandson," Jiraiya said as he was being led down a familiar path, though he didn't remember where it led.

"Wow, I would have never guessed! You look so young…" one of the other mothers replied.

"Ladies, you flatter me! I raise little Minato with as much care as I raised his father, Naruto, though I don't think I did a great job with Naruto…he has disciplinary issues, and I think he might be influencing young Minato here," Jiraiya said over-dramatically.

"Oh my, is he a troublemaker?" someone asked.

"Yes and no…he's good kid, but he doesn't treat me with any respect and sometimes I feel like we can't see eye to eye with each other," Jiraiya said melodramatically.

"_Soon they'll see me as the sympathetic father figure and then I'll have a one way ticket straight to their hearts…"_ Inner Jiraiya thought with a mental victory dance.

"That's horrible! He should treat you better since you are helping look after his son!" One of the teenage girls said as she was overhearing the conversation.

"He's been through a lot, my dear…He lost his first two children. Minato is actually part of a set of triplets, but he was the only one to survive. No, I can't bring myself to go too hard on him since he's still suffering from the loss," Jiraiya said solemnly. Jiraiya didn't mean to, but he actually admitted something that wasn't fabricated or highly exaggerated to this group for the first time.

"Wow, that must be a terrible burden on him," The brunette said sadly.

"Naruto knows about burdens and he's handled himself well with the burdens placed on him. I know he'll get through this." Jiraiya said with pride in his tone.

"Oh look, we're finally here!" one of the teens exclaimed.

Jiraiya looked up and saw the village's bathhouse…

"Jiraiya-sama, would you care to join us in the hot springs? It's a mixed bath and I could use your help washing my back," one of the mothers said in a flirtatious way.

"Oh, I would love to help, my dear," Jiraiya said as he allowed a couple of perverted giggles to slip through.

"_Jackpot!"_ Inner Jiraiya raved.

"I thought I heard you laughing, Ero-Sennin. Where's my son?" a gruff voice echoed behind Jiraiya.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, WHY NOW?" Inner Jiraiya wailed as Jiraiya turned to face his "son"…

"_Maybe there is hope…maybe the women will side with me since I played the sympathy card and the troublemaker card for Naruto,"_ Inner Jiraiya thought desperately. That thought was shattered when he saw what Naruto was wearing…or, more accurately, _not _wearing…

Apparently Naruto had just left the bathhouse since he only clad with a towel wrapped around his waist. His skin and hair was still dripping wet, but Jiraiya saw the women who followed him staring at Naruto's developed torso. The extra training Jiraiya had put Naruto through paid off as Naruto had a chiseled body that could make women drool…which some were doing openly at the moment...

"Oh, there you are, Minato-kun!" Naruto said as a small smile graced his face. The girl holding Minato fainted after Naruto took Minato from her arms. She had thought he was smiling at her.

"Did you miss your old man?" Naruto asked as he played with Minato's stomach which caused the baby to giggle.

"Dah!" Minato replied enthusiastically.

"Did Jiraiya take good care of you?" Naruto asked Minato as Jiraiya started to sweat.

"…Dah…" Minato said less enthusiastically as he looked over at Jiraiya with a "you-owe-me" look.

"That's good, because I would have pounded that pervert if he didn't!" Naruto said as he gave Jiraiya a pointed look.

"Ladies, do you see how he treats me! He wounds my old heart!" Jiraiya said trying to gain more sympathy.

Jiraiya looked over and saw that the women that accompanied him were surrounding Naruto and they all had hearts in their eyes. This was when Jiraiya remembered that women liked the bad boy persona and since Naruto showed his softer side, it made him doubly attractive…

"Will you be my boyfriend? I'll take care of your baby!" one of the teens said in a loud way.

"Umm, I'm flattered, but my heart belongs to someone else…" Naruto responded truthfully with a faraway look as he remembered his Hyuga princess.

The women around him felt disappointed but then they realized that he was committed too so that was another plus to them. They all started to look at him with lust in their eyes.

"Minato-kun…I have a bad feeling about this…why are they looking at me like that…?" Naruto asked nervously.

"…Bah…?" Minato responded in the same scared tone…

Soon someone screamed, "GET HIM!" and the increasing mob of females started to chase after Naruto.

"AHHHHH, NOW I KNOW HOW SASUKE-TEME FELT!" Naruto screamed as he ran to keep his virginity.

"That brat has all the luck!" Jiraiya wailed as a waterfall of anime tears streamed down his face.

Somewhere in Otogakure, a boy with black hair shaped like a duck's butt felt a great burden lifted off his shoulders…and he smiled…for the first time since the massacre of his family…

**A Few Weeks Later:**

Naruto was lying on the rooftop of the inn he, Jiraiya, and Minato were residing in. He was staring at the stars and lost within his own thoughts. He didn't even notice Jiraiya lay down next to him.

"A ryo for your thoughts?" Jiraiya asked.

"I'm just thinking about my dad…I wished I could have asked him what he would have done in my position and ask him for tips about being a father," Naruto said truthfully.

"I've told you a million times, kid, there was nothing you could have done, and I know Minato would have said the same thing. As for fatherly advice…I don't know what he would have told you. You were going to be his first child…he was so excited…It was like watching you after you've been told you're getting free ramen for a week," Jiraiya joked which got a chuckle out of Naruto.

"It's hard to believe he's my dad though…I know so much about him from the textbooks, but I don't really _know_ him..." Naruto said as Jiraiya playful hit his head.

"You know I basically raised the boy so I can tell you that he was a genius beyond all others. When he needed to do something, he did it without hesitation. He was a great man too. He was kind and compassionate, but he was strong enough to not let people take advantage of him. I see a lot of him in you, Naruto. You got far more than his looks; you also have his unwavering spirit, along with your mother's unsurpassed determination," Jiraiya said honestly.

"Man I got some big shoes to fill, huh?" Naruto mused out loud.

"You're not your father, Naruto. You can do whatever you want and I bet that Minato and Kushina would still be proud of you. Don't worry about being in your father's shadow; just follow your own path," Jiraiya said sagely.

"…thanks, Jiraiya-sensei…It's getting late, I think I'm gonna go to sleep," Naruto said as he leapt off the roof and went to his room.

Jiraiya stared up at the cloudless night sky. "You guys made a hell of a tough kid; you know that, Minato, Kushina? I wish you guys were here too, just to help guide him when he needs it the most…"

Jiraiya thought he saw the ghostly figures of his former student and his student's wife smiling at him before they signaled him to watch over Naruto while Kushina made a throat-cutting motion for if he didn't…

Despite the ghostly threats, Jiraiya chuckled. "Yeah, I get it you two…It's my turn to be there for him as part of his family…something I should have done years ago…" Jiraiya said sadly.

The ghostly figures nodded before fading away, but they motioned Jiraiya to tell Naruto they loved him.

Jiraiya didn't know if he just imagined the whole thing or if it was caused by lack of sleep, but he was going to tell Naruto about the love his parents had…_**have **_for him… even beyond the mortal plane.

Unbeknownst to Jiraiya, Naruto was fast asleep, but he was being plagued by a recurring nightmare he had been suffering from since his rescue. It would always start with him and his children when they were older. He would watch from the sidelines as his children played like normal kids and had fun.

Soon, Kushina and Uzu would start fading away, and they would turn and ask for Naruto to help, but Naruto couldn't do anything. He would reach out for them, but they would always be out of reach. When he tried to grab them, he would just phase through them like they were ghosts. He felt so powerless to stop them as they faded away.

He watched as Minato tried to help, but his effort was in vain, too. Soon, Uzushiomaru faded out of existence, and so did Kushina, but not before she yelled out desperately, "DADDY!"

Normally Naruto would have woken up with that last part, but this dream seemed to be going on as Minato started to blame him for not helping his siblings. Minato turned his back on Naruto and then the jarring insults the villagers said started to ring in his head.

"No one wants you, demon!"

"Everyone would be better off if you were dead!"

"You only bring suffering and sadness, just go away!"

"You're useless, you can never help anyone."

Naruto started to unconsciously tap into the Kyubi chakra as he started to cry in his sleep. Jiraiya burst into Naruto's room to see him trashing around in his sheets with tears leaking out of his eyes. He also saw the crimson chakra leaking out of Naruto's seal.

Thinking quickly, Jiraiya placed a suppression seal onto of Naruto's forehead. He watched as his godson awoke with a shock before he patted the boy on the back as Naruto tried to regain his breath.

"Naruto, what happened…?" Jiraiya asked softly.

"I...I had a nightmare…I...I don't want to talk about it…" Naruto said as he looked away from Jiraiya.

Jiraiya sighed before he stood up. "Fine…If you don't want to talk about it with me, then you're going to talk about it with Inoichi when we get back to Konoha. Pack your things; we're leaving in the morning for Konoha." Jiraiya said seriously.

Naruto shot out his bed and looked straight at Jiraiya. "What? What about the training trip? We only have 2 more months like we agreed!"

"Yeah, but you also promised that we would head home if I felt you needed the help. Kid, you need this right now. You're not opening up to me and you're withdrawing into yourself. If you won't allow me to help you, then we're going to need a professional," Jiraiya said softly.

"I…I can't! I just need more time! Don't you see I'm starting to go back to my old self?" Naruto pleaded.

"Yeah, I can see you are reverting back, but not in the way I had hoped. You said the old Naruto was gone, yet you still use that mask to hide what's bothering you. Sure, it's not a mask of happiness, but it's still a mask…" Jiraiya said as he watched Naruto flinch at his comment. Leaning on the door, he continued, "My decision is final…You can keep your end of our deal, or I can restrain you until we're back in Konoha. The choice is yours, Naruto."

"I…I guess I'll keep my promise…but what are we going to do about Minato? How are we going to explain him to Tsunade?" Naruto asked.

"Just tell her the truth…and hope to god she doesn't slaughter me on the spot…" Jiraiya said half-jokingly.

Naruto dropped his head down in defeat. "I understand, Jiraiya-sensei…"

Jiraiya sighed before he walked over to Naruto and placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "I just want you to get better, Naruto. This issue is destroying you and I will not lose another pupil before he gets to see his son grow up," Jiraiya said with steely determination.

That statement proved to be too much for Naruto as he broke down in tears. Jiraiya just stood to his side and placed a comforting hand on Naruto's shoulder to tell him that he was there for him.

**Two Days Later**

The trip back to Konoha proved to be a quick one. Jiraiya had summoned Gamabunta to escort them closer to Konoha. Normally, Gamabunta would have hated being used like a taxi, but, after Jiraiya explained the situation, Gamabunta agreed that Naruto needed help ASAP.

They stopped a day away from Konoha since a giant toad would be hard to hide, and Jiraiya didn't want to announce his and Naruto's return yet. The trio walked off as Gamabunta bid them farewell and told Naruto to get better soon.

"**I need to have my best henchman at his best. You're the only one who actually summons me nowadays, so get better, kid. By the way, when your tadpole grows up enough, have him sign the contract. His signature would be enough to consider the Toad contract a family contract like the Monkey contract."**

With that, Gamabunta returned to Mt. Myōboku. Jiraiya and Co. arrived in Konoha a day later. Luckily it was early in the morning so the streets weren't crowded. Jiraiya's large stature would have drawn some unwanted attention, but Naruto's appearance would have had many doing double takes.

Naruto decided that he liked how his hair looked after he was released from his imprisonment so he kept it long with the bangs framing his face. His outfit had also changed drastically. He wore Shinobi styled boots that had the toes and heel parts removed, loose black ANBU pants that went into his boots, a chainmail short-sleeved shirt that showed off his developed torso, and a sleeveless long coat like Jiraiya's, but in black and outlined in orange.

All in all, he looked like the Yondaime reborn, but the thing that would have drawn most people's attention was the bundle in his arms. Wrapped in an orange cloth was a small baby with shocking spiky yellow hair. The baby was asleep without a care in the world.

"Naruto, we're going to enter through the window, we don't want to draw a crowd by walking through the tower, right?" Jiraiya said as Naruto nodded.

The two silently leapt up to the window ledge before walking into the room. They both sweat-dropped when they found Tsunade sleeping almost as deeply as Minato.

"I'm not waking her, you do it," Naruto said almost immediately.

"Why should I do it?" Jiraiya whispered harshly back.

"One, you're her teammate. Two, I'm holding a baby. Three, you're used to her pounding the daylights out of you," Naruto finished off cheekily.

Jiraiya mumbled something about disrespectful blond brats before he walked over to Tsunade.

In a stroke of brilliance, Jiraiya figured a way to wake Tsunade and only slightly peeve her. "Tsunade…FREE SAKE!" Jiraiya shouted before he leapt behind Naruto.

"Sure, use the teenage boy and baby as a shield. How heroic of you, Ero-Sennin," Naruto said sarcastically, while Minato gave out a cute baby snore.

"FREE SAKE? WHERE? HIDE IT FROM SHIZUNE!" Tsunade yelled.

"Morning to you, too, Hokage-sama, though I would ask you to lower your voice a bit, my son is sleeping," Naruto deadpanned.

Tsunade became ghostly pale as she stared at the figure before her.

"Oh god, I died, didn't I? How else would you explain the Yondaime in front of me? It must have been alcohol poisoning. Please Kami-sama! If you give me another chance, I'll sober up! I promise!" Tsunade wailed.

"Wish granted. Now are you going to say hi to my son, Minato, Tsunade-baa-chan?" Naruto said with a smirk while Jiraiya was rolling on the ground laughing. Oddly, Minato was able to sleep through the whole commotion…he must have inherited that from Naruto.

"N-Naruto, is that you?" Tsunade stuttered out.

"Yeah, it's me, Tsunade-baa-chan. It's good to see you again," Naruto said with a soft smile.

Tsunade smiled back at him before noticing the blond baby sleeping in Naruto's arms. Her smile dropped before she glared daggers at the prone pervert who finally stopped laughing.

"Eep!" Jiraiya squeaked out.

"YOU GOOD-FOR-NOTHING PERVERT! YOU'RE GONE FOR ONLY TWO YEARS AND YOU'VE ALREADY CORRUPTED THE CLOSEST THING I HAVE TO A SON! WHERE IS THE MOTHER? I SWEAR TO KAMI IF SHE DIED DURING THE BIRTH, IM GOING TO KICK BOTH YOUR ASSES ALL THE WAY TO SUNA!" Tsunade shouted at Jiraiya before the room temperature dropped dramatically.

"_Tsunade-sama_, while I appreciate your concern for me, I suggest you hear the full story before you start making threats…" Naruto said coldly before the door opened.

"Tsunade-sama, Hiashi-sama is here for the meeting you scheduled…" Shizune trailed off as she saw Jiraiya on the floor and Naruto glaring at Tsunade with the coldest look she had ever seen. Oh, and he was carrying a blond baby, she absentmindedly noted.

Before Tsunade could say anything, Naruto said, "Let him in, he should probably know about this too…"

That statement confused Tsunade, but she allowed Hiashi to enter; he was just as confused as Shizune and Tsunade, but he hid it better.

"Tsunade-sama, Jiraiya-sama…Naruto-san," Hiashi greeted them.

"Hyuga-sama…" Naruto greeted back with a slight bow which shocked everyone in the room besides Jiraiya.

"Jiraiya, you better start explaining what the hell is going on with Naruto," Tsunade said seriously while Jiraiya sighed before retelling what happened.

Jiraiya retold everything that happened that led up to Naruto's capture. He even explained that he was at a whore house at the time when Naruto was abducted, much to his shame. After that, Naruto explained what happened during his imprisonment. He held nothing back. He told them in detail of his torture, isolation, and his thoughts. He told them how he was revealed to be the son of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, much to Hiashi's surprise. He told in detail about Hiruko's twisted plans and how he succeeded in creating the children with Naruto and Hinata's blood.

At this point, Minato chose to wake up with a loud yawn. The first thing his lavender eyes saw was Hiashi. Normally, Hiashi's stoic and serious expression would cause distress to some, but to Minato, he saw something familiar…more specifically he saw that Hiashi had his eyes.

Minato tilted his head to the side a bit before reaching his tiny arms out for Hiashi. Naruto and Hiashi were surprised by this, and Naruto looked over to Hiashi to see if he would approve of this. Hiashi gave the tiniest of nods before he hesitantly took Minato.

Pale lavender stared into pale lavender for what seemed like days. Finally, Hiashi blinked first and Minato started to wave his arms around for his apparent victory.

"He truly is a Hyuga," Hiashi deadpanned, which caused everyone else to face-plant onto the floor.

"Um, how do you know, Hiashi-sama?" Shizune asked since she was the first to recover.

"Only another Hyuga can beat a Hyuga in a staring contest…" Hiashi said seriously, which caused everyone to face-plant…again.

"Naruto, you said there were three of them, where are the other two?" Tsunade asked.

Everyone was surprised yet again when Naruto let a single tear slide down his cheek. He started to explain how he heard a couple of henchmen say that the other two were disposable by orders of the Raikage. He explained how he snapped through his restraints by allowing the Kyubi to overload his chakra system. He told them of his failure to save his two children, the nightmares he's been suffering, and his general decline into depression.

Jiraiya looked away in shame. He never thought it was this bad and now he realized how much of a fool he had been for not returning right away.

Both Tsunade and Shizune were in tears for the pain their "son/brother" was going through. Tsunade knew how bad it was to lose a loved one since she lost both Dan and Nawaki, but she had never lost a child, let alone two. She walked up to Naruto and embraced him in a hug as her tears soaked into his shoulder.

"Naruto…I'm so sorry…I didn't know…I'm sorry I said those things to you when you came here…" Tsunade muttered as she felt Naruto return her hug.

"You didn't know…There was no way for you to know, so I'm sorry for lashing out at you…what you said just struck something in me that I wanted to forget, but I can't…" Naruto said as his tears started to reemerge.

Hiashi looked at Naruto and saw the same pain that he went through when his wife died. He saw himself beating himself up for things he had no control over which led to his cold and uncaring persona that he wore during Hinata and Hanabi's childhood. Hiashi looked down at Minato who seemed sad while looking over at his father. At that point he made a decision. He was going to help Naruto so Naruto wouldn't turn into him by bottling his pain up like how he did. He was going to help Naruto so his _grandson_ wouldn't have to suffer like his daughters…

Hiashi was snapped out of his thoughts when Tsunade asked if she could run some medical tests on Minato. Naruto agreed and Hiashi handed Minato over to Tsunade.

Tsunade smiled while she examined Minato. The baby would giggle whenever she touched him, but he wouldn't fidget or try to move around. He was a good little patient for Tsunade, and Tsunade couldn't help but smile at the baby.

While this was going on, Hiashi decided he was going to talk to Naruto. "You have quite the son, Naruto-san," Hiashi started casually.

Naruto smiled at Hiashi which Hiashi noted was a real smile. "Thank you, Hyuga-sama. Minato-kun is very well-behaved for an infant. He hardly gives me or Jiraiya any trouble," Naruto replied.

"You can call me Hiashi, Naruto. I must say the story you told was quite a tale. I am sorry you had to endure so much so far and I don't just mean your recent abduction," Hiashi said as he gestured toward Naruto's navel.

"I have come to terms with my treatment from before. I know my father didn't intend for that to happen, but pain blinds us from the truth. I have to thank your daughter though, Hiashi-sama. Without her, I might have given in to the pain…" Naruto said truthfully.

Hiashi raised an eyebrow at that statement. "The Hyuga clan actually has to thank you for many things, Naruto-san. I personally have to thank you for opening Neji's eyes after your fight. We have been moving closer to becoming more of a family again, and you set that in motion. It's no wonder Hinata admires you so much." Hiashi smirked when he saw Naruto turn away a bit with a blush on his cheeks.

"Thank you, Hiashi-sama, but wouldn't your clan try to refute the claim that Minato is a Hyuga?" Naruto asked curiously.

Tsunade, hearing this, snorted, which got their attention. She asked Shizune to bring her a couple of files then performed a couple of hand signs. Minato was enveloped in green chakra before a couple of incomplete bars hovered above him.

"This is one of my medical jutsus I came up with to do paternity tests without having to wait for the long blood tests to come through. Since this is used with chakra that scans the DNA, there is no chance for contamination," Tsunade explained as Shizune came in with the folders Tsunade requested.

Tsunade pulled out two transparent sheets with two different sets of incomplete bars on them. "These are Hinata Hyuga's and Naruto Uzumaki's DNA charts. As you can see, when they overlap, Minato's DNA corresponds to both charts. He's a perfect match between the two, thus proving that it was Hinata's blood used to create Minato," Tsunade concluded.

"I'll back up this test with a standard test just to be sure, but with my medical experience, I can say without a doubt that Minato is the child of Hinata Hyuga and Naruto Uzumaki," Tsunade said professionally before she felt Minato tugging her ponytails.

"Geez Naruto, what are you feeding him? He's got an iron grip!" Tsunade said as she tried to loosen Minato's grip to no avail.

"Just like Hinata…" The group heard Hiashi mutter and rub part of his long hair…

"Naruto, where are you going to stay? I don't think your apartment is a good place to raise a baby," Shizune said as she scooped up Minato and started to rattle her keys to distract the infant.

Naruto frowned, but he couldn't think of anywhere else he could live. His neighborhood wasn't the greatest place to live in and his house was both too hot in the summers and too cold during the winters.

"He will be staying at the Hyuga Compound," Hiashi's regal voice echoed through the room.

Everyone's jaws dropped at Hiashi's statement. "Are you serious, Hiashi-sama?" Naruto asked.

Hiashi nodded before saying, "I can't have my grandson living like a pauper. No offense, Naruto-san, but he is technically a Hyuga and you and he will be living there from now on," Hiashi said with a sense of finality to the argument.

Naruto just nodded. He had no idea what he just got himself into...

**Chapter End**

**Well there you have it! Naruto is back in Konoha and he's going to need some help from the looks of it :(**

**Don't worry though, our favorite Hyuga princess will make her appearance next chapter to help our poor Blond Hero. I wonder how Hinata is going to react to seeing Minato...(ponders in his thinking corner)**

**Anyways, thanks for reading! Leave a review or Minato is going to be really sad! **Holds up Minato****

**Dah!**

**That means yes...right?**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello Readers! Welcome to the new chapter of FtaBH! **

**A lot of you have asked if Naruto will get his children back. The answer is YES and RELATIVELY SOONISH…kinda…I don't want to spoil anything for you guys but it will happen before the Kage Summit. Any point before that is fair game for when they will make their reappearance. **

**Now that is taken care of, I want thank you all for reviewing! I told one of my friends that there wasn't a chance it would come close to the 60 mark again, and I was pleasantly surprised when last chapter set the record for most reviews with 63! You guys are awesome! Ok Now to the chapter!**

**Disclaimer**: "I don't own _Naruto_…I do own Minato, Kushina and Uzushiomaru though." "Like hell you do!" Hinata shouted before Lion Fisting me to the next century.

"Normal"

"_Thoughts"_

"**YELLING or JUTSUS**"

**"Demon talk**"

"_**Demon Thoughts**_"

_**Father to a Blond Hyuga**_

_**Chapter 9**_

_**Konoha: Hokage's office**_

The only one who wasn't in a stupor of shock from Hiashi's declaration was Minato, who was too distracted by Shizune's keys. Even though Naruto nodded his head to agree with the Hyuga Patriarch, he didn't fully process what Hiashi had said for several moments.

"Wait…so Minato-kun and I are going to be living in the Hyuga Compound now?" Naruto summarized.

"Yes," Hiashi said plainly.

"By the way, Naruto-kun, you use –chan for babies. You use –kun when boys are older," Shizune quipped after snapping out of her delirium.

"Oh…really…? I didn't know that…I never did have any formal or etiquette training…Ero-sensei over there just taught me on the go while we were coming back…" Naruto trailed off.

"Speaking of your unexpected return, I'm going to schedule a Yamanaka to help counsel you through this dark time, Naruto. We've all been in a dark place, but the Yamanakas are professionals that have saved many Shinobi from quitting or giving in to their inner turmoil," Tsunade said seriously as she gazed sadly at Naruto.

Naruto sighed, but nodded his head in agreement. He knew he was messed up and he needed to get help before he lost himself. "I understand, Hokage-sama. I assume I'm off the active roster until I finish my therapy?" Naruto saw Tsunade nod gravely and he sighed again.

"Don't worry about this getting around, Naruto. The Yamanaka take doctor-patient confidentiality very seriously so whomever you get will make sure what you talk about will stay between you two and possibly me if they feel I should know," Tsunade stated.

Tsunade got up and placed a hand on his shoulder as she looked at Naruto with her softened honey eyes. "We're here for you, Naruto. We want you to get better not just because you're a shinobi, but because we care about you as a person. Now would you prefer Inoichi to help you or Ino to help you? Inoichi is older and has handled much more cases than Ino, but Ino is your age and you might be able to open more to her since you guys have worked together and are friends." Tsunade asked.

"I have no preference, Hokage-sama…though I might lean more towards Inoichi-san because even though you reassured me about patient confidentiality, I still know of Ino as the gossip queen of Konoha, and I don't want to risk anything…" Naruto said softly.

"Alright, I'll ask for Inoichi to meet with you later then," Tsunade replied before walking over to Shizune and snatching Minato up and tickling his stomach.

"I must say, Naruto, you have a really good reason to get better fast right here." Tsunade smiled and tickled Minato's belly.

Naruto returned her smile before nodding.

"Naruto, I believe we should go to your former apartment and gather your belongings," Hiashi said evenly, which elicited another nod from Naruto.

"You're right, Hiashi-sama. We should probably go now while the streets aren't packed," Naruto stated as he stood up and fastened his orange sash around his waist, using it to close his jacket a bit.

He walked over to Tsunade, who handed over the infant with care. "Say bye-bye to your baa-chan, Minato-chan." Minato made a sound that sounded like "bye" while waving his tiny arms.

Tsunade smiled before kissing Minato on his forehead. "You know, Naruto, if I'm his baa-chan then you can't call me "baa-chan" as well," she said with a smirk.

Naruto placed his free hand on his chin in a thinking pose. "I suppose you're right, Tsunade-kaa-san…" the young father said with a smile.

Tsunade's eyes widened before she gave Naruto a bone-crushing hug.

"ACKKK! YOU'RE CRUSHINGME! I'M CARRYING A BABY! I'M CARRYING A BABY!" Naruto cried for his freedom while holding Minato above his head so he wouldn't be crushed in the center.

Hiashi smirked at the scene while Jiraiya rolled on the floor laughing. Shizune just looked on with a happy smile on her face. Soon, Tsunade released Naruto, who was holding his broken ribs. Everyone said their farewells before Naruto, Minato and Hiashi left.

Tsunade's happy smile was replaced by a bloodthirsty snarl. "You were with some hookers while Naruto was being abducted…" Tsunade whispered dangerously to Jiraiya, who had been forgotten about until now.

To her surprise, Jiraiya didn't pale or beg for forgiveness. He just lowered his eyes and said yes.

"Well…what do you have to say about yourself…?" Tsunade said sternly. She was thrown off by her teammate's behavior so she wasn't sure how to react yet.

"What is there to really say, Hime? I fucked up…big time. Whatever pain you would cause me wouldn't be enough because I deserve the worst for what I did. So if you're going to beat me, do it…Kakashi said, _"those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash."_I basically abandoned Naruto, so whatever you do is better than what less-than-trash like me deserves," Jiraiya said as he got on his knees and bowed lowly.

Tsunade was shocked at Jiraiya being so submissive and pleading for forgiveness…she sighed.

"Get up, you old lecher…It's no fun beating a man when he's already down. Know this though, you have lost a lot of respect and trust with me and you will have to earn all that back. Now, get out of here before I change my mind," Tsunade said as she rubbed her temple.

Jiraiya nodded before he jumped out the window...like he usually does…Tsunade started to wonder how Sarutobi-sensei put up with this shit…

**Konoha Streets**

The walk to Naruto's apartment was a fast one, and Naruto didn't have much to take from his old apartment. All he took was his sleeping cap, his goggles, his picture of Team 7, and a box containing some letters from his friends along with his gardening tools.

Hiashi was carrying the bubbly Minato, who was absorbing all the new sights around him while Naruto walked alongside the Clan Head.

"I'm surprised Minato-chan took a shine to you…he's usually reserved around others…" Naruto mentioned off-handedly.

"I am just as surprised as you, but he must see the resemblance between him and me, and he's comfortable with me because of it. He is a very perceptive child, I must say," Hiashi replied with a tiny smirk on his lips.

His smirk went unnoticed by Naruto but Minato saw it and started giggling happily and waving his arms around. The two walked in a peaceful silence, besides Minato's baby gurgles, until Naruto noticed a familiar ramen stand.

"Hiashi-sama, would you mind if we stopped by Ichiraku Ramen?" Naruto asked hesitantly. "They've always treated me like family, and Jiraiya made us skip breakfast."

Hiashi was reminded of whenever his daughter asked him for anything. She would hesitate in fear of rejection, and it seemed Naruto shared the same condition.

"I don't see why not. I have heard rumors of your ramen fixation, and how it could put an Akimichi to shame…" Hiashi said with a hint of mirth hidden in his even tone.

Naruto smiled before walking into the cozy restaurant. The delectable smell of ramen was fresh in the morning breeze. For the first time, Naruto felt like it was good to be home.

"Welcome to Ichiraku! I'll be with you in a minute!" a familiar female voice echoed from the back room.

"Take your time, Ayame-nee-chan," Naruto replied back while doing a mental countdown before Ayame realized who just spoke…he didn't have to wait long.

"NARUTO!" Ayame yelled with joy as she reappeared in front of the counter faster than you can say Hiraishin.

"It's good to see you, too, Nee-chan," Naruto said with a smile.

"Oh my Kami, Naruto...Look at you! I'm sure you must have girls lining up for you now!" Ayame gushed as she took in Naruto's new look.

"Ahh, Nee-chan…You're making me blush," Naruto said with a nervous chuckle as he rubbed the back of his head.

Ayame noticed that Naruto wasn't alone and looked over to see who accompanied him. Her heart nearly stopped when she saw a tiny blond baby and the head of the Hyuga clan sitting patiently on a stool.

Naruto followed Ayame's line of sight, and gulped when Ayame turned to him with a sickly sweet smile on her face.

"Naruto-otouto, you better start explaining," Ayame said in a haunting singsong voice that promised untold amounts of pain and horror.

"This is going to be a long day…" Naruto muttered to himself before launching into his tale about his imprisonment and his son's creation.

After he was finished, he saw that Ayame was in tears. She rushed up to him and gave him a tight hug while apologizing profusely. Eventually, she calmed down and went to Minato, who was happily drinking some milk that Naruto had taken out for him.

"He's so adorable, Naruto-otouto…" Ayame gushed, then realized that she was in front of the Head of the Hyuga Clan.

"Lord Hiashi? I'm so sorry, I got caught up in all this drama, and I completely forgot about you. I apologize, sir!" Ayame said as she bowed lowly.

Hiashi just waved off her apology. He actually found the whole scene to be amusing…It seemed that amusing events just followed Naruto like a shadow.

"It's alright, my dear. I was just spending time with my grandson while you were being caught up. If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to order a plate of Onigiri and green tea please," Hiashi said regally.

"I'll do that right away, Lord Hiashi! I'll get the usual for you, too, Naruto!" Ayame said as she ran to the back room to prepare the food.

"She is quite the character, Naruto," Hiashi deadpanned.

Naruto just chuckled. "That's Ayame-nee-chan for you."

Ayame came back with their orders rather quickly, and the trio ate in companionable silence until Minato tried reaching over for Naruto's ramen. Naruto noticed this and chuckled a bit.

"Ayame-nee, could you give me that um…the meal where the noodles and broth are separate?" Naruto asked, as Hiashi looked at Naruto curiously.

"You actually want something that isn't ramen? By the way, it's called Tsukemen.

"Sure…I'll have that, and bring a spoon please," Naruto said.

"Okay, I'll be right back!" Ayame chirped as she prepared Naruto's meal. Naruto waited patiently while keeping Minato away from his ramen so the baby wouldn't burn himself.

"Here you go, Naruto!" Ayame announced as she gave Naruto the two bowls.

Oddly, Naruto placed his hands over each bowl and focused his chakra through them. His hands glowed a pale green and everyone around him felt a slight breeze emitting from his palms. Once he was done, he used his spoon to scoop up some of the noodles that were now cut into minuscule pieces. He dipped the cut noodles in the broth and placed the spoon into Minato's mouth.

"Naruto! What are you doing? You're going to burn his mouth!" Ayame panicked.

Naruto looked at her strangely before he used the spoon to scoop up some broth and dropped it on the backside of his hand.

"It feels like it's lukewarm to me, Ayame-nee," Naruto said in a confused manor.

Ayame dipped her fingertip into the broth, and was shocked when she wasn't burned. "How did you do that?" Ayame asked incredulously.

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "I channeled my wind chakra through both my hands and into the bowls. I swirled my chakra in my left hand to create a breeze to cool the broth, and I channeled my right hand to make tiny blades to cut the noodles," Naruto said nonchalantly.

"That is quite an impressive skill, Naruto. Not many have the ability to use their element like you can," Hiashi praised.

Naruto smiled slightly, but didn't comment. He went back to feeding Minato his cut-up ramen. Minato seemed like he couldn't get enough of it. Soon the bowl was finished and Minato's eyelids started to get heavy. Minato fell asleep in Naruto's arms while Ayame watched the scene in front of her with a pleased smile. She would have never guessed Naruto would have matured so fast in so little time, but she assumed having a child would cause that.

The trio bid their farewells to the young ramen chef and continued their way to the Hyuga Compound. Unfortunately, they took longer than they thought in the ramen stand and now the marketplace was starting to get crowded.

Like Naruto expected, his new appearance caused quite a few heads to turn. He also noticed the blushes and hungry stares he was receiving from the female population…and some of the men…

Hiashi noticed Naruto's discomfort and smirked. "Your father had the same issue as well…" Hiashi stated as he gestured to his growing fan club.

"At least he did until your mother started beating anyone who looked at him with a hint of lust. It was quite amusing to watch, actually…" Hiashi said with a slight chuckle.

"My mom sounds awesome…" Naruto said with a sense of pride swelling in him.

Hiashi nodded his head. "She was an amazing Kunoichi. I think Hinata could be for you what Kushina was to your father, Minato."

Naruto blushed at what Hiashi was implying, but he didn't deny it. "Umm, speaking of Hinata, is she at the compound…?" Naruto trailed off.

Hiashi shook his head. "She and Neji's team left for a diplomatic mission in Wave Country. They aren't scheduled to return for at least a week. She was actually quite excited about going there, since she heard you're practically a hero in Wave," Hiashi stated.

"…I see…" Naruto said as a small smile crept on his face. He was a bit sad that he wouldn't see Hinata right away, but now he had a chance to prepare for her, and she still seemed to hold him in high regard.

They soon arrived at the compound. Two Hyuga Guards were awestruck by Naruto's appearance, and thought he was an apparition or a very well-done Genjutsu. After confirming that he was neither, much to Naruto's ire, they let them pass but Hiashi ordered one of the guards to gather the council.

"So we're not waiting, huh?" Naruto asked rhetorically.

"It would be wise to get this out of the way immediately. You can't hide much from the Hyuga clan and it would be wise to face this head-on," Hiashi replied.

Naruto nodded his head before he shifted Minato to his other arm. "Well…facing things head-on is something I'm good at. I just hope this won't blow up in our faces," Naruto said with a grimace.

"Do not worry, Naruto. I will make sure nothing happens to you or my grandson. Hinata would kill me if something happened to you," Hiashi said half-jokingly.

"That's a good one, Hiashi-sama. I doubt Hinata would harm a fly if she didn't have to," Naruto said with a chuckle.

"While that is true, Hinata is also very protective of the image the clan has of you. My younger daughter made an off-hand comment about how she thought you looked "goofy", and Hinata nearly broke her arm in rage…" Hiashi trailed off as an awkward silence filled the room. "We'd better go; the elders will be ready shortly. I will go in first, then I will summon for you. I must urge you to be on your best behavior. Any uncouth behavior may cause you to suffer the elders' ire," Hiashi stated as the two walked to the main council room in the center of the Compound.

Hiashi nodded to the guards before he stepped into the room. The council of Elders consisted of eight Hyuga elders from both the main and cadet branches. Hiashi's mother was currently the oldest one, and she was considered the "main" elder.

Hisaki Hyuga was considered the wisest of all the elders, due to her unbiased opinions and ability to think rationally in the harshest of times. She was able to bring peace to the council after her husband had made the absurd decision to have Hizashi switch places with Hiashi. As their mother, she didn't want to lose either of her sons, but her husband had placed the clan ahead of their family…He died of natural causes a few years later, and no one questioned his abrupt death…

The death of Hiashi's father was actually welcome to the clan, as his abuse of power was starting to become apparent, as was his casual use of the Caged Bird Seal on undeserving Branch members...and his infidelities. No one accused Hisaki for his death, but nobody doubted who did it.

Hiashi entered the room and faced the council before bowing and then sitting on the place mat in front of him.

"Greetings, Hiashi. We have been told that you have something important to tell us, Son," Hisaki said gently.

"Yes I do, Mother and honorable council. It has come to my attention that…the Hyuga bloodline was discovered outside of Konoha," Hiashi said seriously.

Hiashi's statement received a few startled gasps and looks of fear in the eyes of others. Hisaki remained calm as she gazed at her son.

"From your demeanor, I would say you have already taken care of the situation…" Hisaki said slowly as Hiashi nodded.

"I have, Mother. Gentlemen, would you escort our guests in?" Hiashi asked the guards at the door.

The council's eyes nearly popped out of their heads when they saw the reincarnation of the Yondaime carrying a baby who was playfully tugging on his hair. Hisaki looked like she had seen a ghost. She had a flashback of a similar blond walking through the streets with a pregnant red-haired woman. She knew this couldn't be Minato Namikaze, since he died 15 years ago…

Hisaki's eyes widened when she realized who this teenager was…apparently, Minato's child did not perish as everyone was told…

Her wizened stare turned to the baby who looked no older than four months old and she gasped when she saw his eyes. Those lavender pupils-less eyes were a dead give-away that the baby was a Hyuga.

One of the elders snapped out of his delirium and whispered, "Yondaime-sama, is that you?"

Naruto just chuckled at the dumbfounded expressions of the elders. "No, I am not Minato Namikaze, I'm Naruto Uzumaki…I'm pretty sure you have heard of me…" Naruto said with a small grin.

If possible, the eyes of all the elders widened to the size of dinner plates. Hisaki wasn't awestruck like her peers, but she closed her eyes and nodded to herself.

"I welcome you to the Hyuga home, Uzumaki-san. I do wonder what business you have here today and how the child you are carrying possesses our Byakugan," Hisaki said evenly.

Naruto sighed inaudibly as he prepared to explain his story for the third time today. It felt good to finally tell someone what happened, but it didn't make it any easier to relive his failure and loss.

Though their faces remained in their stoic masks, the Hyuga elders' eyes betrayed what they were feeling. Hisaki and a few others had a sympathetic gleam in their eyes, while most of the others were indifferent. There were a few with a smug gleam in their eyes when they listened to Naruto retell his time in confinement. Naruto didn't need to be a master at reading emotions to tell that those guys were assholes.

"So that is my story, honorable elders," Naruto concluded as he tried to remain composed while Minato tugged on his bangs.

"I can also confirm that the child is Hinata's heir. Tsunade-sama ran the blood tests while we were at her office this morning," Hiashi chimed in as he took Minato from Naruto.

Naruto silently thanked the Hyuga Clan Head. When Hiashi said Minato inherited his iron grip from Hinata, Naruto thought he was joking. He shuddered to think how bad it must have been for Hiashi with his long hair.

"Son, may I see the child?" Hisaki asked.

Naruto tensed at the thought of a stranger holding his child, but Hiashi gave him a reassuring nod which calmed his nerves a bit. Hisaki was as perceptive as her son, and gave Naruto a subtle smile to show she wasn't going to do anything nefarious.

Hiashi handed Minato to Hisaki, who cradled the baby gently. Minato stared at the stranger with a curious expression in his large lavender eyes. Hisaki stared back at the child, and couldn't help remembering the day when she held Hizashi and Hiashi just like how she was holding this baby right now.

Naruto noticed that Minato was a lot more comfortable around the Hyuga than with other people besides himself and Jiraiya. When he was with strangers, Minato would be difficult to hold still and irritable. With the Hyuga, Minato seemed to be more cheerful and open. It baffled Naruto that his son would open up to one of the most emotionally stoic clans in Konoha.

Hisaki poked Minato's belly which caused the baby to giggle happily. Hisaki smiled down at the child before she directed her gaze to Naruto and Hiashi.

"He is just like my granddaughter, Hinata. She was very ticklish as a baby, and still is, now that I think about it…" Hisaki said off-handedly as she handed Minato to Naruto.

Naruto decided to file that piece of information in the back of his mind for later. "Minato-chan seems a lot more open around the Hyuga than others I've noticed, but I have no explanation as to why," Naruto responded and smiled a bit when Minato's iron grip latched onto his side bang.

"I believe it's our eyes that make him more comfortable. Little Minato-chan sees the resemblance between our eyes and his infantile mind is able to piece together that we share something in common. That fact alone allows him to bond with us," Hisaki said sagely.

"Now, I believe it is time to tell you that I plan on inviting Naruto and his son to live here in the Hyuga compound to ensure Minato-chan's protection, and I intend to teach him our ways as well," Hiashi explained. Surprisingly, this was only met with a few faces of outrage, but the majority seemed happy about his decision.

"What madness has afflicted your minds?" A bald Hyuga main branch elder yelled. "That child is nothing more than an abomination and a demon's spawn!" The bald Hyuga's rant was halted when he was slammed by an intense feeling of death from Naruto, Hiashi, and Hisaki.

Oddly, Naruto was the first to calm down before he leaned down to Minato's ear and whispered something to the infant. The baby's eyes widened before he turned to the bald Hyuga and gave the man a death glare that would put Hiashi's stare to shame.

"What did you tell him?" Hiashi whispered as he saw the impressive glare from his grandson.

"I told Minato-chan that baldy wanted to take his ramen and cinnamon buns away…No one messes with Minato-chan's favorite foods…" Naruto said with a little shudder.

Even though he was an infant, Minato's glare was enough to make the man's heart skip a beat. That combined with the killing intent from the Clan Head and the Head Elder was enough to cause the man to shrivel up.

"I don't believe Hiashi or I called for you to speak, Norio-san…I might remind you that my dear friend Hiruzen Sarutobi's law is still in effect and another violation like that will be dealt with swiftly by me personally," Hisaki said in an icy tone.

The Hyuga known as Norio paled considerably before he ducked his head. The main branch member next to him decided to bring a new topic up.

"Hisaki-sama, Hiashi-sama…while I agree with my colleague about certain issues, I assume that you will not budge on this decision?" He paused and saw both of them nod. "Then I suggest that the boy be branded with the caged bird seal," the man said firmly.

"No," Hiashi said simply.

The man sputtered at the short response but was finally able to articulate a question as to why they couldn't brand the child. The boy's chakra paths were developing at an impressive rate and who knows what else the demon's power did to enhance the child. He would need a way to be controlled and the Caged Bird Seal would make sure the boy would be under their control and ensure his loyal while establishing his place beneath them…

"It is quite obvious as to the reason why the child won't be branded. He is the son of Hinata, thus making him a main branch member, and rightful successor once she claims the position of Clan Head of the Hyuga. Even though the child's birth was unorthodox, it has been proven that the boy was born with blood of the main branch flowing through him. By tradition, he cannot be branded as long as Hinata resides in the main branch," Hiashi explained eloquently.

This silenced most of the protests from the elders, but a branch elder decided to voice his question. "Hiashi-sama, how do you intend to induct Naruto-san into the clan? Unlike Minato-chan, Naruto-san does not contain Hyuga blood, but it would be ill-advised to separate them. I am curious to your method to allow Naruto-san in," the branch elder said respectfully.

Naruto grimaced at the man's words. There was no way in hell he would be forced apart from his son, but the way the man described the situation it sounded like Naruto was about to go through some sort of rite of passage.

Hiashi noticed this and smirked a bit. He wasn't known for his spontaneous ideas, but those seemed to be contagious when you hung around Naruto. Besides it was going to be priceless to see the most unpredictable Konoha Ninja in a state of complete shock.

"I have already come up with a way to induct Naruto-san in our clan. What I plan to do is…write a betrothal contract between him and Hinata," Hiashi said as everyone's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates besides Minato, who was blissfully ignorant of the situation.

Naruto, like most people in the room, was gaping like a fish at Hiashi's declaration. He didn't know anything about being married. He was still 15, for Kami's sake! Not to mention that he hadn't seen Hinata for over 2 years, and had no idea how she would feel about this. The last thing he wanted was to make her feel pressured or forced into a situation that she didn't want to be in…

Of course, he still hadn't realize the true depth of her feelings for him, or else he would have known that it would be laughable to think that Hinata wouldn't agree to be his wife the instant the question was asked…

"I believe it would be a good time to bring matters to a close now. We will have the standard ceremony to welcome Minato-chan and Naruto-san into our clan at a later date. Preferably after Hinata-sama has returned, so she can tutor them on the finer points of our traditions," Hisaki stated as the rest of the elders nodded and left. She was the last to leave, but before she left, she smiled and tickled Minato again on his stomach, much to the baby's joy.

Naruto was about to confront Hiashi about the betrothal contract until Hiashi raised his hand to silence Naruto. "I know what you are about to say, and I was just bluffing, to be honest. I do not intend to write out the contract unless you and Hinata agree to it first," Hiashi said, and Naruto nodded and gave a slight sigh of relief.

Naruto smirked as a thought came to his mind. "You know…you just pranked the king of pranks…this means war, Hiashi-sama…" Naruto said and smirked triumphantly when Hiashi paled.

Ignoring Naruto's smirk for a moment, Hiashi called a branch member to escort Naruto to his new room. If Naruto was going to start a prank war, then Hiashi was going to go down fighting. He wondered how Naruto would react when he realized that his new room was adjacent to Hinata's…

**A Few Days Later**

Naruto was still adjusting to the Hyuga lifestyle as well as his fatherly duties. Thankfully, Minato seemed to be comfortable in his new surroundings and slept peacefully at nights. Besides that, Naruto felt very uncomfortable with all the branch members asking if he needed any assistance. He assured them that he was fine multiple times, and requested for them to stop treating him like he was their superior. Of course, that request always fell on deaf ears and would be responded to with the same statement: "As a member of the branch house, it is my duty to watch out for the welfare of members of the main house, of which you and Minato-sama are now a part."

Naruto felt appalled that the branch members saw themselves more as servants than family members. He started to understand why Hinata and Neji hated the Caged Bird Seal so much. When he first heard of it, he was revolted by the thought, but seeing its actuality sent new waves of disgust to his core.

Naruto didn't see them as servants and never treated them as such. After meals with Hiashi and other main branch members, Naruto would take his own plate to the kitchen and wash it himself. This baffled many people, since it was considered odd for main branch members to do such trivial tasks, but Naruto would have none of that.

Naruto spent years living on his own and developed a sense of responsibility. He had no one waiting on him when he was younger, and learned to do chores himself. He wouldn't allow someone to have to wait on him or act like a servant to him. The branch members respected Naruto for that, and they started to take a shine to him since he actually treated them like equals.

While they didn't voice it like some branch members, the main branch was also starting to respect Naruto's self-reliance. The boy was a breath of fresh air to the clan, and his natural kind demeanor seemed to rub off on those he encountered. Of course, some of the traditionalists did not like this one bit and were just waiting for Naruto to slip up so they could kick him out.

Naruto was walking around the compound while trying to find Hiashi's office. He found a letter stating that Inoichi was there to see him, but he didn't know his way around the compound yet. As he walked down another identical corridor, Naruto heard some yelling. He continued to walk until he saw a Hyuga shouting at a branch female and a pile of clothing lying on the floor.

"How dare you obstruct my path, branch member!" the Hyuga sneered.

"I am sorry, sir, but I couldn't see you behind the laundry I was carrying," the female responded as tears welled in her eyes.

"You should have! Now for your incompetence, you shall be punished," the Main branch member smirked as he prepared to activate the seal.

The branch female's eyes were filled with fear as she clutched her head and prepared for the pain to assault her temple. When it didn't happen, she opened her eyes to see Naruto standing in front of her with his eyes closed and a smile that screamed "fake" on his face.

"Hello! I'm Naruto as you probably already know, and I overheard your current predicament. Now I don't believe such extreme punishment is needed for such a trivial matter," Naruto said with that annoying grin and his hand clutching the other man's hand. To anyone else, it would have looked like they were shaking hands.

The Hyuga man sneered at Naruto. "Stay out of my way, you filthy de-" The man was cut off by the sound of his hand bones cracking under the force of Naruto's hand.

"Now, now, there is no need for you to be so impolite. I'm sure you wouldn't want to face the punishment Hisaki-sama said would happen if you broke the Sandaime's law, would you?" Naruto said as his smile became more bloodthirsty and his eyes opened to show the pure malice in them.

"Of course not, N-Naruto-san…this w-was a simple misunderstanding, as y-you said," the man stuttered in both fear and pain.

"Glad to hear that! Oh my, your hand is all black and blue! You should go see someone about that immediately!" Naruto said innocently, but his message was clear: get out of here, NOW!

As soon as the man ran from sight, Naruto's smile turned into a frown as he muttered a low curse which caused Minato to tug his hair.

"Ow! Minato, stop, that hurts a bit, I'm sorry!" Naruto said as his son finally let go of his hair.

The branch female was shocked about what just happened. She was prepared to endure the pain of the curse seal, but then the newest additions to the Hyuga came and saved her! She hadn't met them personally yet, but she heard two polar opinions about them. One stated that they were troublemakers and they were ruining the clan. The other opinion was that Naruto was a kind person who treated everyone with the same respect. She now knew the latter was the truth about Naruto.

She couldn't help but giggle at the little scene between father and son, but she stiffened when Naruto looked at her. His eyes softened and he bent down to help her pick up the scattered laundry.

"Are you alright?" Naruto asked with concern lacing his voice.

"Y-Yes, t-thank you…" The branch member said as she looked down for stuttering.

Naruto smiled one of his true smiles, which caused the poor girl to blush a bit. "Hey, it was no problem. He shouldn't have treated you like that…um, I never got your name," Naruto said as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Oh, um...my name is Hana. I'd um like to thank you again for your help, Naruto-sama," Hana responded as she picked up the last of the laundry and stood up before giving Naruto a small bow.

Naruto smiled again before waving his hand. "None of that -sama or -san stuff, please. Just call me Naruto. Also you don't have to thank me; I would have done it for anyone," Naruto replied.

Hana blushed and looked down at the container she was holding. "Well, I want to thank you Naruto-sa…Naruto…"

"Well there is something you could help me with," Naruto said as he readjusted Minato into his other arm. "Um could you tell me where I can find Hiashi-sama's office?"

"Sure, you make a right at the end of the corridor, and then stay left until you reach the main courtyard. Hiashi-sama's office is to the right of the entrance. It's the room with a couple of guards in front of it." Hana said with a smile.

"Thanks. You're the best, Hana-chan," Naruto said with a smile.

Hana blushed before she said a hasty goodbye and ran off in the opposite direction.

"If I didn't know any better, Minato-chan, I would think that all that blushing was a Hyuga thing…" Naruto muttered to his child, while scratching his head.

"…Dah…" Minato replied, and nodded his head.

The two found themselves in Hiashi's office. Inoichi was sitting on the couch near the wall, and Hiashi had a main branch member behind him standing on guard.

Naruto greeted everyone before he handed Minato to Hiashi, while he and Inoichi left to go to Inoichi's office. Hiashi placed Minato on his desk and continued to work on his paperwork. He was surprised when he looked up to see Minato staring back at him. For the last 10 minutes, Minato hadn't made a sound besides the occasional baby gurgle. Hiashi decided that he could do his paperwork later and spend time with his grandson now.

"Ko, I want you to find something for Minato-chan to play with," Hiashi ordered the main branch member behind him.

Ko nodded and left the room. In the meantime, Hiashi decided to poke Minato in the stomach, which caused the baby to giggle. Hiashi smiled at Minato's giggling. He remembered how Hinata was just as ticklish. He felt a pang of grief when he remembered the times he spent with Hinata and his wife, Hitomi. He remembered how he forgot those times when Hitomi died and grief was the only true emotion he could feel.

As if sensing Hiashi's demeanor change, Minato grabbed onto one of Hiashi's fingers with both of his tiny hands. He stared at the appendage before he tried to pull it. Hiashi chuckled before Ko entered the room with a big bright red ball. Minato squealed with joy and latched onto the ball. The ball was slightly bigger than Minato, who was rolling around with the ball like a cat with a ball of yarn.

"Minato-chan seems to like that ball…Ko, go purchase 80 of them."

"Right away, Hiashi-sama…" Ko responded with a snicker. Who knew Hiashi would be the type to spoil his grandchildren rotten.

By the time Naruto got back to the Hyuga estate, Hiashi's office looked more like a ball-pen than an actual office. Minato was sitting in the middle of the whole mess, with Hiashi and Ko laughing, and the latter was taking pictures.

"Um, do I want to know what happened?" Naruto asked hesitantly. This brought a new wave of laughter to everyone else in the room.

**One Week Later: Outskirts of Konoha**

"Sister, are we almost there yet?" a girl with pupil-less eyes and long brown hair asked the girl with long indigo blue hair and the same pupil-less lavender eyes.

"Almost, Hanabi-chan, we'll be home soon," the indigo-haired beauty responded to the brunette.

"Are you excited, Hinata-nee? I know you had fun in Wave since they worship your boyfriend almost as much as you do, but it will be nice to be home again," Hanabi replied with a smirk when she saw Hinata's face erupt with a blush.

"Hanabi, you shouldn't s-say such things! Naruto-kun is not my b-boyfriend!" Hinata stuttered out.

"Yeah, but that's not to say you don't want him to be," Hanabi said in a singsong voice.

Before Hinata could respond, a male with long brown hair and pupil-less eyes walked up to the sisters.

"Hanabi-sama, I do believe you have teased Hinata-sama enough for right now. We are approaching the gates now, so you should keep your voices down unless you wish to blurt out Hinata's secret to everyone," Neji said then smirked as he continued, "of course, everyone already knows about her feelings besides the knucklehead himself." Neji chuckled, followed by Hanabi.

"Enough, you two. You're embarrassing Hinata," Neji's female teammate Tenten responded. She was wearing a white top and red pants with her weapon scrolls on her back.

"YOSH! HINATA-SAN BURNS WITH THE PASSION OF YOUTH! IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE OUR COMRADE NARUTO-SAN NOTICES THE BRIGHT FLAMES BURNING WITHIN HER!" the most energetic member of Team Gai exclaimed.

"Lee, calm down! Yeesh, if you scream that next to my ear again, I might go deaf," Tenten complained.

"I AM…I mean…I am sorry for that, Tenten-chan. Sometimes my flames of youth burn uncontrollably at times!" Lee responded sheepishly.

"Yeah, well, keep it down, will you? I think you broke Hinata-chan!" Tenten joked as she gestured to her petrified friend.

Hinata was too mortified to respond to anything…

The squad of five finally made it to the Hokage tower, and gave their reports to the Hokage. Through it all, Hinata felt uncomfortable when the Hokage stared at her with a hint of mischief in her eyes. It was like she knew something that Hinata didn't.

Finally, everyone went on their way as Neji, Hanabi, and Hinata went to the Hyuga compound. The trio greeted the guards, but they snickered a bit when Hinata passed them. The poor girl was confused now as to what was going on with everyone. It was like she was the punch line to an inside joke that everyone knew about except her.

As they were walking to Hiashi's office, they heard passing gossip about a new member of the clan which shocked the three greatly. Everyone knew how difficult it was for outsiders to join the clan, so new members were very rare.

"He is so nice too! I mean he treats everyone with respect, and did you see his body! It's like it was sculpted by Kami herself! And his bright blond hair…" one of gossipers sighed dreamily.

"Geez, Hana, you sound like a love-sick schoolgirl," her companion said as she rolled her eyes.

"Oh c'mon Hikari, don't give me that! I've seen you staring at him when you think no one is looking!" Hana accused her friend who blushed uncontrollably.

"A lady such as myself does not need to stoop so low as to glance at someone appealing from the opposite gender! It doesn't matter anyway; he's betrothed to Hinata-sama," Hikari rattled out.

The trio froze at that last statement, and Hinata looked like she was about to cry. "Hinata-nee, we should go talk to Father before we jump to conclusions…" Hanabi said softly, as Neji nodded in agreement.

The three of them were about to be stopped by Hiashi's guards, but the furious looks from Neji and Hanabi was almost as convincing as the distraught and betrayed expression Hinata wore. The guards relented and allowed the trio through. Hanabi barged into the room and pointed a finger at Hiashi.

"What were you thinking, Otou-san! You knew that Hinata is in love with that knucklehead Naruto, and you arranged for her to marry a complete stranger?" Hanabi accused.

Of course, she didn't realize that Hiashi had company in his office. She turned her head to see Naruto staring at her in disbelief and holding a blond baby that was sleeping in his arms.

"Umm…hi…" Hanabi finished lamely as she looked at Naruto and then looked down in shame. It was at this point that Hanabi, Neji, and Hinata realized that the two women were talking about Naruto, who was apparently the newest member of the clan.

"Naruto, I would like you to meet my youngest daughter, Hanabi," Hiashi deadpanned.

"Um hi…" Naruto said, as he was still a bit shocked at what Hanabi said.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Naruto noticed Neji and a beautiful girl with long indigo hair. The girl wore a purple Kimono that was outlined with lavender and had a lavender obi tied around her waist. She had two long bangs framing her face and large pupil-less eyes…wait a minute…

Naruto's eyes widened when he realized that the beautiful girl was Hinata! Dear Kami, she had grown. The kimono she was wearing fit her form, and made her feminine curves more apparent.

Hinata saw Naruto looking at her and she paled and blushed at the same time, which was an amazing feat in and of itself. She paled since she had heard Hanabi yell at their father, but she didn't know Naruto was in the room until Hanabi greeted him. At that point, she was mortified that her secret was revealed, but she couldn't blame Hanabi; how was she supposed to know that Naruto was in their father's office?

She blushed because she noticed how well Naruto had matured over the past couple years. His hair had grown out, and he wore it like the Yondaime did. His face was sharper, and all his baby fat was completely gone. The outfit he wore showed off his strong arms and his chiseled body. Hinata suddenly had the urge to run her hands over his mesh-covered torso.

It was at this point that Hinata noticed the blond baby in Naruto's arms. She could see that the baby had the same spiky hair that Naruto had and it was the same shade of yellow that reminded her of the sun. Wait…there had to be a logical explanation for the child to look like Naruto…He could have been a nephew, but Naruto was an orphan…It seemed like the only logical conclusion was that it was Naruto's child…

Naruto handed his sleeping son to Hiashi and looked at the lavender-eyed goddess that was standing next to him.

She hid it quickly, but Naruto saw the pain-filled look she had when she looked at little Minato. It hurt him to think that he caused her pain, even if it was indirectly. He didn't care what it took, he was going to alleviate her suffering in some way, no matter how minute.

He walked over to her and grabbed her petite hands into his and looked directly into those lavender orbs he had come to love.

"Hinata-chan, I've missed you," Naruto stated with such tenderness that it seemed to make her melt in his hands.

He chuckled a bit. No matter how much Hinata changed in appearance, she was still the sweet and kind girl he knew.

"I-I have m-missed you t-too N-Naruto-kun." Hinata hated how he could make her swoon with a simple touch.

Everything about him made her weak in the knees, but she needed to stay strong. There were so many questions plaguing her mind, and they all seemed to be about the little blond bundle that her father, of all people, was holding with such care she would have assumed the child was related to him. Oh how little did she know.

"N-Naruto-kun, is that y-your b-baby?" Hinata asked as she finally mustered enough courage to do so.

"Yes," he replied.

Hinata felt her heart shatter. She wanted to be the mother of Naruto's child, but now it seemed he was out of reach. She vowed she wouldn't break down in front of her love and father. If Naruto-kun was happy, then she would be happy for him…no matter how much it hurt…

She took a deep breath to steady herself before looking at the baby; she found, as much as she wanted to resent the child, she couldn't do it. He was a part of Naruto. He looked just like his father and Hinata couldn't help but fall for the cute baby.

She looked at Naruto before asking the question that was plaguing her mind.

"Who is the mother, Naruto-kun?" She was surprised by her lack of stutter, and the other occupants in the room were just as shocked.

Naruto felt an uneasy feeling swelling in his guts. He didn't know how Hinata would react and if she rejected him and Minato, he would be devastated. Hinata noticed his discomfort and placed a hand on his arm to comfort him. It seemed to work as he regained his composure.

"Hinata, this is gonna sound weird and surreal, but," he began and took a deep breath before he continued, "you are Minato's mother." As if to prove his father right, Minato opened his eyes to reveal the same pale lavender eyes Hinata possessed.

The baby stared at the closest female in the room. Once their eyes met, Hinata started to feel a pull towards the child and vice-versa. The baby reached his tiny arms out for Hinata, while making adorable squealing noises. The next thing that happened shocked everyone in the room, even though they should have expected it.

Hinata fainted.

Naruto sighed as he looked at the unconscious girl in his arms. If her smile was anything to go by, she was happy.

"I'm actually surprised she didn't faint sooner," Naruto said.

"She has trained a lot, but there are some things that will never change," Hiashi replied stoically. If you had looked close enough you would have seen the ghost of a smirk.

"Well, for Minato's sake, let's hope it's not genetic," Naruto laughed at his own joke.

When he noticed Hiashi not laughing with him (or scolding him for such a disrespectful remark), he turned around to see Minato poking his index fingers together while occasionally giggling when his tiny appendages connected with each other.

"Aww, crap…"

**Chapter End**

**A/N aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand done :P**

**I want to thank my beta reader, Hinatasgreatestfan for correcting my mistakes. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Next chapter is going to be stuffed with fluff so be prepared!**

**"Well that's all for now, anything to say, Minato-chan?"**

**"Dah! Dah!" Minato squeals as he plays with the bouncing balls around him…**

"…**I think Hiashi may have gone overboard…"**

**Please review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey Everyone. I want to apologize again for the lateness of this chapter since I know a lot of you were anticipating it, but college has been hectic. I was on Financial Hold and for those who have been ever placed on that know how much of a hell it can be. Luckily my situation is 98% done and I won't have to worry about this again. **

**Now onto something that was brought up last chapter…I wanted to clarify that Minato is 8 months old, not 4 months. That being said, I still am pretty ignorant when it comes to baby development. I'm basing Minato's behavior off other Anime babies and not reality. The anime babies I have been using have been baby Trunks from DBZ and Baby Beel from Beelzebub. I know if it was reality, then Minato would be crying, sleeping or pooping himself all the time and that's pretty boring for a character who does in fact play a large role in this story in my honest opinion. **

**Disclaimer**: "I don't own _Naruto, if I did then Naruto would have had a pet fox for the lulz._

"Normal"

"_Thoughts"_

"**YELLING or JUTSUS**"

**"Demon talk**"

"_**Demon Thoughts**_"

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><p><em><strong>Father to a Blond Hyuga<strong>_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 10<strong>_

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><p><strong>Hyuga Compound<strong>

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><p>Naruto sighed as he gently placed the beautiful Hyuga down on Hiashi's couch. Naruto blushed a bit as he looked at Hinata's peaceful face. She had grown into quite the beauty over the last two years. It wasn't that she was ugly when she was younger; she had actually been cute, now that he thought about it, but now she was a goddess in his eyes whose beauty was probably only matched by angels.<p>

"_I have to stop hanging around Ero-Sennin. He's making me think of weird things,"_ Naruto thought as his blush intensified.

Naruto turned his head to see a fidgeting Hanabi and an awestruck Neji looking back at him. "Umm…hey guys?" Naruto greeted them lamely.

"Hey Naruto-san…um…just checking but you heard everything I said, right?" Hanabi said, hoping Naruto said no.

Naruto chuckled nervously before saying, "I'm afraid I did, Hanabi. Don't feel too bad though, everyone has been dropping hints about Hinata liking me since I've been here, even your dad. He was right though, you are a little firecracker. It's nice meeting you, Hanabi." Naruto then smiled as he ruffled the girl's hair.

Hanabi frowned a bit at her hair being messed with, but Naruto's friendly attitude seemed to rub off on her. "Hinata talks about you so often; it feels like I've known you for a while. Just treat her right, okay? Despite what some might say, I care for my older sister and I do see her as a great role model. You hurt her and I'll kick your ass!" Hanabi said with fire burning in her eyes.

Naruto raised an eyebrow but nodded before he turned to Hiashi who shook his head and gave a sigh of exasperation. "She gets it from her mother," he said as Minato giggled.

"Naruto, how can that be Hinata-sama's child?" Neji asked making his presence known.

Naruto looked a little uncomfortable about explaining Minato's birth to Neji and Hanabi. He knew, after Hinata, that Neji deserved to be the first friend his own age to know about it. He didn't know anything about Hanabi except for what Hiashi told him. He didn't want two people who were close to Hinata treating him or his son like how those snobby traditionalists treated them.

"It's very complicated Neji…I want to explain it to Hinata first, though. I can tell you it was not a standard birth…" Naruto said as he trailed off.

Neji nodded his head before looking at the blond Hyuga. He had to admit that the child was adorable...he idly wondered if any kids he and a certain weapon mistress had would be as adorable...

"Oi Neji! Are you sick? You're turning red!" Naruto and Hanabi said at the same time. Hiashi face-palmed when he realized that Hanabi was starting to act like a mini Naruto.

Hiashi turned to Minato and said, "You better turn out like your mother…Kami knows we don't need three Narutos running around." For some unknown reason, Hiashi felt a shiver go down his spine and a dreadful sense of foreboding strike him, as if something were warning him.

Neji regained his composure before clearing his throat. "Naruto, how long have you been staying here?" Neji asked curiously.

"Umm…about a week I think. Hiashi-sama told me you guys went on a mission and I've been pulled off the active roster for now." Naruto said.

Neji looked shocked at the casualness Naruto had when he stated he wasn't on the active roster. "Why are you off the roster? Better yet, why are you here? Tsunade-sama said you went on a training mission with Jiraiya-sama for three years when we went to visit you,"

Naruto's eyes dimmed a bit. Fortunately, Hiashi decided this was a good time to intervene. "Neji, all things will be explained later. As it happens, everything you want to know is connected, so I ask for your patience in this matter. Now, I think you and Hanabi should retire to your quarters and clean yourselves up for dinner," Hiashi said sternly.

Hanabi and Neji looked like they wanted to protest, but they kept their mouths closed and bowed before saying goodbye and leaving.

"Well that was eventful…" Naruto said as he sat at the edge of the couch near Hinata's head.

"Yes it was…now that you know my daughter's feelings, what do you intend to do?" Hiashi asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'd like to talk to her first. I know I've heard of her feelings subtlyfrom you and…not so subtly from Hanabi, but I think I want to hear it from her mouth. As for what happens after that…it's all up to her…I would love to have her in my life, but I won't force her or trap her in this situation just because she technically is Minato-chan's mother. She's only 15 and I'm asking her to help raise a child with me…" Naruto said as he looked down at Hinata's beautiful face.

"I believe that you are not giving Hinata the credit that she deserves. I will be the first to admit that I was a horrible father to her when she was younger, but I've tried my best to reconnect with my daughters and Neji. Hinata has grown strong over the years because of you and her greatest wish is to be by your side. As my other daughter so eloquently told you, if you hurt her, I'll kick your ass." Hiashi's threat seemed more serious and plausible than Hanabi's.

"Lucky for me, I don't intend to harm Hinata in any way. I'd rather hurt myself than harm her. She and Minato are the only things that have kept me from going over the edge into depression," Naruto replied vehemently.

"That is good, Naruto. I'm glad you are willing to open your heart again even after all you have suffered. It's not going to be easy, but I believe you and Hinata can get through this. Naruto Uzumaki, I hereby allow you the right to court my daughter if you so choose. Just don't make more grandchildren for a while though…Minato is a handful by himself," Hiashi finished with a smirk as Naruto started to sputter out of embarrassment.

Both stopped talking when they heard a feminine groan alerting them of Hinata's awakening.

"Hinata-chan, are you alright?" Naruto asked as he knelt besides her.

Hinata hadn't opened her eyes yet and was still in a half-dream state. "I just had the most amazing dream ever. I dreamed that Naruto-kun and I were to be wed and we had the most adorable baby. He had Naruto-kun's hair and my eyes…" Hinata sighed dreamily.

"Umm…Hinata-chan…that wasn't a dream…" Naruto said as he started to feel a bit uncomfortable.

Hinata's eyes snapped open and her face took a tomato red hue as she saw Naruto beside her and with her hand intertwined with his free hand. She saw Minato staring at her with a hint of confusion in his eyes. Hinata started hyperventilating which sent Naruto into a panic attack.

"Hinata, oh crap, calm down please! Please don't faint!" Naruto said hastily as he retreated back to give the girl some space.

Though Hinata was grateful for the breathing room, she missed the feeling of Naruto's hand on hers. She took a couple of breaths before she managed to calm herself. Hiashi and Naruto sighed in relief when they saw that Hinata wasn't going to faint.

"Tou-san, Naruto-kun…what is going on?" Hinata finally asked once she was fully calmed.

"There is a lot that needs to be explained, daughter. I suggest you remain seated…" Hiashi said calmly.

Hinata nodded and sat back on Hiashi's couch. Naruto sat next to her, but placed himself on the other side of the couch to give her some space.

"I guess this all started on the night you were kidnapped…" Hiashi paused as Hinata gasped and her posture stiffened.

"I don't know when or how the kidnapper did it, but he was able to transfer some of your DNA to his superiors in Kumo…" Hiashi paused again when he saw Hinata's knuckles turn white as she gripped the armrest.

Naruto decided that it was up to him to explain the rest. "For some reason, they couldn't replicate the Byakugan because their test experiments would die soon afterwards. They needed a way to expand the life span of their test results. That's where I came in," Naruto said with a slight shudder.

Hinata turned her gaze to Naruto. Her eyes were filled with confusion. "Naruto-kun, I d-don't understand, how do y-you fit in a-all this?"

Naruto smiled a humorless grim smile. It was a far cry from his true smile that warmed Hinata's heart. "They needed me for the fur-ball in my gut and because of who my mother and father were…"

"You know who your parents are, Naruto-kun! That's amazing! Who were they?" Hinata smiled at her love. She had known that one of Naruto's greatest wishes was to know who his parents were. She had often seen him look forlornly at kids who had their mothers and fathers with them.

Naruto smiled back at Hinata which caused her to blush and look down. "Though I wished I learned about them under different circumstances, I'm still glad I got to know who they were." Naruto took the picture of his parents out of his pocket and gave it to Hinata.

Hinata's eyes grew large as she stared at the Yondaime Hokage and a beautiful redhead. She actually focused more on the redhead more than the Yondaime. Her face seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite place where she had seen her before.

"You can see that my father was the Yondaime, Minato Namikaze. I actually named our- my- um…the baby after him," Naruto said nervously at the end. He wasn't quite sure how Hinata was reacting to Minato and that was making him a nervous wreck.

Hinata looked up at Naruto and saw him shifting his eyes from side to side. She let out a little giggle since she thought it was funny to see Naruto so flustered. Her gaze turned to the blond bundle who was giggling at Naruto's antics as well. Minato looked over at Hinata again and stuck his hands out again.

"N-Naruto-kun…c-can…can I hold h-him?" Hinata stuttered a bit.

Naruto was surprised but nodded his head. He held Minato up and Hinata slowly reached over. Time seemed to slow as Hinata's hands drifted towards Minato. Naruto met her half way and gently placed Minato in her arms.

Once Minato was in Hinata's arms, Hinata felt an odd feeling surge through her. It was hard to explain what she felt, but it was like a sudden rush of happiness and warmth ran through her. It didn't last long, but it was strong. She could still feel the lingering effects flare up when her grip tightened around Minato.

Was this the feeling her mother had when she held her and Hanabi? Probably, Hinata concluded. Just holding Minato for the first time gave her a sense of maternal happiness. She didn't need for Naruto to explain further to know that Minato was her son, but how that was possible still plagued her mind.

Minato gave a happy squeal of joy and tried to hug Hinata with his tiny arms. He started to snuggle into Hinata like a cat before he let out a yawn and promptly fell asleep. Hinata giggled at Minato's actions. She could really get used to this feeling. In less than a minute, she had formed a bond with her son and she wouldn't give it up for the world.

Naruto smiled when he saw Hinata cradle Minato. Seeing both of them this happy made Naruto feel happy and he promised himself he would try to always keep them this happy.

"My mother's name was Kushina Uzumaki. I really don't know much about her though…" Naruto concluded.

"She seems f-familiar, but I d-don't know w-where I've seen her…" Hinata trailed off as she unconsciously ran her fingers through Minato's soft blond locks.

"I think I can answer that, daughter," Hiashi said as he got up and took out a small photo.

Hinata and Naruto's eyes widened when they saw the photo. "T-Tou-san, is t-that m-mother and you?" Hinata asked.

Hiashi nodded. "Yes, this is a picture of us when we were younger. The redhead was her best friend, Kushina. She was going to be your godmother, too, but she died on the night of the Kyubi attack," Hiashi said solemnly as he looked at the picture of Hinata's mom with Kushina standing next to her in Gai's "Good Guy" pose. The Yondaime was sitting on a branch looking down at the duo and Hiashi was leaning against the tree in the background with his arms folded and his patented Hyuga glare.

Both Naruto and Hinata were shocked by Hiashi's statement. Hiashi had never hinted that he and his wife knew Naruto's parents since Naruto started staying at the compound. Hinata never knew because Hiashi never talked about his wife after her funeral and no one would mention her in front of Hiashi for fear of unleashing his wrath.

Before Naruto and Hinata could question Hiashi further, Hiashi held up his hand to silence them. "I know you have many questions and I will answer them later. We have gotten off topic and I would recommend you finish your explanation first, Naruto."

"Right, sorry…where was I…? Oh yeah, I discovered who my parents were because the guy who captured me wanted to break me both physically and mentally. He somehow knew that I wasn't treated all that well as a jinchuriki so he thought I would snap if he revealed that the person who condemned me was my own father," Naruto said solemnly.

Both Hiashi and Hinata's eyes shined with sympathy though it was more apparent with the latter. Hinata scooted closer to Naruto and placed a comforting hand on Naruto's shoulder which earned her a smile from him.

"He was almost right…I felt so betrayed that my idol, who happened to be my father, could do something like that to me…I think I actually hated him for doing that to me…" Naruto said with deep remorse as his smile faded.

"What kind of monster was I? I actually hated my own father for saving my home. When I realized how my hatred was so irrational and uncalled for, I became disgusted with myself. I thought about how much my father gave up as well. His soul is now trapped forever all to save the village and give me a chance to live. I think that was when I stopped looking at him as an unobtainable trophy and started to look at him as a true hero and a father. I guess that's one of the reasons why I gave Minato that name…I wanted to honor what my father did for me with my own son," Naruto said as he wiped away a stray tear that slid down his cheek.

Hinata looked at Naruto in awe. She was struck speechless by the emotion and the fortitude Naruto was showing. She knew he was physically strong, but this proved to her that he was mentally strong as well. It just made him that much more endearing in her opinion.

"I don't think you could have chosen a better name. Minato was a great man and you have proven yourself to be walking down the same path of greatness he walked, Naruto." Hiashi's calm voice echoed through the room.

Hinata nodded in agreement and Naruto looked down and smiled slightly. "Thank you, the both of you…" Naruto said quietly before taking a deep breath. "After they decided to stop torturing me mentally, they decided to physically maim me so they could drain the Kyubi's chakra out of me," Naruto said in a low voice.

Hinata gasped in shock as her eyes widened in horror. Naruto's grim visage showed that he wasn't joking and Hinata's eyes were immediately filled with sympathy.

"They…they would beat me most of the time. They would use their fists or blunted items lying around. Some of the more sadistic bastards would…they…they would carve their names or a phrase into my skin and watch it heal slowly and repeat it over again. Others would pull my nails off of my fingers just for the hell of it. They would leave me at the brink of death and wait until I was fully healed before they repeated the process…" Naruto said as he shivered at the phantom pains reverberating around the healed skin.

"Naruto-kun…how…how did you continue on?" Hinata said as a couple of tears started to fall from her lavender eyes.

Naruto smiled at her before he scooted closer and gave her a gentle hug. "I thought about you," he whispered into her ear.

Hinata felt like her heart had skipped a beat or two and her face felt very hot. "W-w-what?" Hinata stuttered out.

"I thought about you, Hinata-chan…I thought about what you had told me in the hospital…before the finals…and even during your prelim fight with Neji. I thought about my friends and how I wanted to see them again. You and everyone I cared for gave me something to fight for…you guys gave me a reason to live so I followed my…_**our**_ nindo and never gave up!" Naruto said as he released Hinata from his hug.

Neither realized it, but they missed the warmth their bodies shared and both felt hollow without it.

"I don't know how long I was in there, but I never want to relive it ever again… Just when I thought I was about to snap, they hauled me into some sort of lab and extracted the Kyubi's chakra from me that built up in the inhibitors they placed on my body. It was the worst pain I've felt in my life…It felt like my very essence was being ripped out of me," Naruto said with a grimace as he placed his hand on his stomach.

"After it was over…they sent it into these weird containers and I watched as those weird pods grew into children! I passed out after that If didn't see my kids until a long time later. That's when I got to know them…" Naruto said with a small smile, but his eyes held nothing but sadness and remorse.

"You are holding Minato who is just as curious as the day I met him. My other son was named Uzushiomaru and he had your hair, but my eyes. I called him Uzu for short…he was the most energetic baby I had ever seen…and Kushina…she had your face, but with my mother's hair and eye color…" Naruto couldn't continue anymore as he choked on the sob in his throat. The tears he refused to shed finally broke through as a torrent of tears streamed down his face.

Hinata was shocked to see Naruto so vulnerable. She had leaned on Naruto to be her pillar of strength for so long. He gave her confidence and strength by just being himself, but this to see him break down and cry broke her heart. Without a thought, Hinata pulled Naruto over to her and rested his head on her shoulder. She would rub his back with her free hand and whisper comforting words in his ears.

Naruto continued to cry for a couple of minutes longer while Hinata comforted him. When he finally stopped he looked at Hinata's face and gave her a sheepish smile.

"I'm sorry for breaking down like that in front of you, Hinata-chan. You must think I'm so pathetic…" Naruto whispered as he looked away.

Hinata turned Naruto's face so they were staring into each other's eyes. "I could never think you were weak, Naruto-kun. Crying doesn't make you weak. It shows that you are human and you feel pain like everyone else. You are strong, Naruto-kun. There were times when I would cry and want to give up but then I would see you in my mind and you would encourage me to keep going forward and to never give up. You made me strong and I want to be there for you when you need it now, Naruto-kun," Hinata said sincerely as she stroked his cheek.

Naruto leaned into Hinata's touch and closed his eyes for moment. There were no words strong enough to describe the feelings she made him experience. He felt the warmth of her skin against his. He felt the comfort her presence gave to him. He felt relief when he saw her smile. He saw the love she held in her eyes. It was unsettling and pleasant at the same time. Part of Naruto wanted to run away from this foreign experience, but he also wanted to embrace it. His thoughts turned to a darker part of his mind and soon he started to think that he didn't deserve to have such a wonderful person in his life. His life was filled with misery and pain and he didn't want to drag Hinata down with him…

Naruto's eyes snapped open and he scooted away from Hinata. Hinata recoiled back as if she had been hit. Did her touch repulse him that much? Was she too forward? These thoughts whirled in Hinata's mind as tears started to well up in her eyes. Naruto saw this and immediately regretted his actions.

"Hinata-chan…" he whispered and waited for the girl to look at him. "It's not your fault. You probably figured it out, but…Kushi-chan and Uzu-chan didn't make it…They were taken from me and I overheard my guards say they outlived their usefulness and how they were going to be killed. I saw red and went on a war path to find them," Naruto hesitated at first but continued his speech.

"I…I killed them without remorse or sympathy. Even after all that, I still…I still failed. I was too late to save them and I had to watch them die in front of me. They weren't even a year old, Hinata… I failed to protect them…they were right, I am nothing but a monster…I couldn't even protect my own children…how can I drag you or anyone else down with me? My life has been filled with nothing but pain and I don't want you to go through that by being with me." Naruto said with his head down. His hair caused a shadow to drape over his eyes.

He felt her hand on his face and expected her to slap him but it didn't hurt like a slap. He soon realized that she was pinching him.

"Ow!" Naruto wailed before he felt another pinch on his hand. "Stop that!" Naruto said indignantly.

Hinata giggled a bit before she gave him the "Hyuga stare". "I'll stop if you stop talking nonsense, Naruto-kun." Her facial features softened before she said, "The Naruto I knew would never let those hurtful words get to him. I understand that you're grieving over Kushina and Uzushiomaru…I…know I would have loved them if they were anything like Minato-chan here, but I care about you a lot, Naruto-kun. I can't relate to the anguish you are feeling, but it hurts me to see you in so much pain. Please don't call yourself such things, Naruto because you are definitely not a monster or a failure to me…" Hinata said as tears streamed out of her eyes.

Naruto mentally kicked himself for making Hinata cry. Naruto pulled Hinata into a hug and buried his face into her indigo locks. He kept apologizing to her, but Hinata wasn't sure what he was apologizing for.

"Hinata, I'm sorry for making you cry. I think this just proves I don't deserve someone as amazing as you in my life," Naruto said as he felt Hinata tighten her hug around him.

"Naruto…do you trust me?" Hinata whispered.

"Huh?" Naruto asked confused.

"Do…Do you trust me…?" Hinata said slower this time.

"Of course I do, but I don't know how this is related to what we were talking about…" Naruto said in the same confused tone.

"If you trust me, why can't you accept my choice to be with you?" Hinata asked with an indignant tone behind it.

Naruto remained silent as he had no comeback for that.

"I know what you have to go through, Naruto-kun, and I would stand there beside you because it was my choice. I don't care about the dangers, Naruto-kun. I only care about you…and Minato-chan now," Hinata said as Minato woke up with a loud yawn.

Hinata looked down towards Minato and started to play with his tiny fingers, but Naruto just kept staring at Hinata.

"_Hinata…thank you…"_ Naruto thought.

The silence of the room was interrupted by two equally loud rumbles coming from both Naruto and Minato's stomachs.

Minato started to tear up while Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. Hiashi just shook his head. "It is a good thing that it is dinner time now," he said as he rose out of his seat and walked out of the room.

The two teens followed behind him but they intertwined their hands before leaving together…

* * *

><p><strong>Hyuga Compound: Dining Hall<strong>

* * *

><p>"Hanabi-sama, please stop sulking, I'm sure Hinata-sama is not going to "<em>kill, maim, and or desecrate<em>" you…" Neji said for what felt like the hundredth time while using finger quotes to quote Hanabi's phrase.

Hanabi didn't look like she heard what Neji said or did and chose to ignore it. Her back and shoulders were slumped forward and her head was resting on the dining table. Her eyes were that of a sad puppy and her down-turned lips were the epitome of depression.

"Of course she's going to kill me! Don't you remember what happened to Keisho-baka (_Fire Bell_) when he tried to blackmail Hinata into dating him by telling the elders of her crush on Naruto-san?" Hanabi replied hysterically.

Despite all his willpower and fortitude, Neji shivered as he remembered the poor sap known as Keisho Hyuga. Keisho could be described as the stereotypical Main Branch member. He was rude and arrogant to everyone around him and he loved to toy with people. Keisho was also known as a flirt and a player. Neji had the unfortunate displeasure of running across the arrogant fool while patrolling the village. He even hit on Tenten right in front of Neji. If it weren't for the curse seal and Lee restraining Neji, Neji would have jukened his nuts off. Unfortunately for Keisho, he chose to mess with the wrong weapon mistress and was sent back to the Hyuga Compound with more than a couple bruises and deep gashes. Since then he had turned his sights on Hinata.

It turned out that Hinata wasn't the wallflower she appeared to be when cornered. Hinata had come home that day elated since all the training she had done had finally paid off when she created her very own Gentle Fist style. Even the council had been impressed with the design. Unfortunately all good days had to come to an end and Hinata's ended when Keisho dropped his ultimatum. However, Instead of curling up and giving in to his demands, Hinata decided to unleash her new technique upon the witless fool.

Neji was shocked when he saw the condition Keisho was in. He had 12 broken ribs, a collapsed lung, a damaged kidney, and all his tenketsus sealed with signs of damage on them. The scariest part was that Hinata only got two solid blows on Keisho.

Funnily enough, the council was more proud of Hinata than disappointed or infuriated. They reasoned that if she was the Clan Head, then she shouldn't allow others to bully her. They were also impressed by Hinata's Twin Lion Fists Jutsu, but regrettably they designated it ahigh ranking A kinjutsu due to the damage inflicted on the person's tenketsus that was irreversible.

Of course they couldn't allow Hinata to go completely unpunished since she did attack another clan member so they pulled her from the active roster for nearly a full year where she wasn't allowed to leave the compound. Of course Tsunade wasn't pleased about this decision since Hinata had been one of her best apprentices, but there was nothing she could do since Hinata did attack another clan member on clan grounds.

Thankfully for Hinata, she was still allowed to train and was allowed her other privileges within the compound. No one dared mess with Hinata afterwards lest they risk spending a couple of weeks in the hospital wing…

"There were no cruel intentions to your words, Hanabi-sama. Hinata-sama is not unreasonable." Neji tried to placate the waterlogged firecracker.

Hanabi didn't reply. She just placed her head back on the table. Neji just sighed and awkwardly patted Hanabi's shoulders. Hiashi walked into the room and raised an eyebrow at his younger daughter's behavior. Neji just shook his head as the Clan Head sat in his seat. The sound of giggling drew the attention of all three Hyuga as Hinata, with Minato in her arm, and Naruto walked into the room. Hinata was giggling as she tickled Minato's tummy while Naruto looked at both of them with a small serene smile on his face. Minato was giggling wildly while trying to grab Hinata's finger that always evaded his tiny hands.

The teenage parents looked up when Hiashi cleared his throat to gain their attention. Naruto chuckled sheepishly while Hinata looked down with a blush. Of course when she looked down, she saw Minato staring back at her with a happy toothless grin. This made her smile back which didn't go unnoticed by anyone in the room. Neji and Hanabi were curious about Hinata's change of attitude. Her confidence had grown in leaps while she was apprenticed to Tsunade, but she held a certain hesitance about her that seemed to have disappeared after her conversation with Naruto.

"Let's start dinner, shall we?" Hiashi asked rhetorically as he took his seat. The teens nodded before sitting down in their seats.

The food was already set on the table so everyone helped themselves. Hinata was still holding Minato in her arm while feeding him from a bottle. Hanabi, who had been shooting her sister nervous glances since she entered the room, noted that Hinata seemed be a natural at being a mom. Hinata caught Hanabi's curious stare and smiled at her sister.

"I used to take care of you after mother passed away…" Hinata answered the unspoken question.

Hanabi's eyes softened at the mention of their mother, but she smiled when she remembered how her sister would be there for her when she was younger.

"Nee-chan, can I hold him?" Hanabi blurted out as she pointed to Minato.

Hinata looked over at Naruto who smiled and nodded his head. Hinata smiled back at him before getting up and walking over to where Hanabi sat. Hanabi was in awe as she held Minato in her arms.

"He's so cute, Hinata! So I'm his aunty now?" Hanabi said with stars in her eyes. Hinata hesitated for a second but nodded nevertheless.

Hanabi squealed happily as she rocked Minato in her arms. "This is awesome! I have a nephew who I can spoil! Oh and he's such a cutie too! Oh, can I train him? Can I? Can I? My nephew will know how to defend himself; I'll make sure of that!" Hanabi rocketed off into her own world.

Both Naruto and Hinata started to sweat-drop at Hanabi's behavior. "Hanabi-san, while your heart is in the right place, Minato is too young to start training…and Hiashi-sama spoils Minato enough, thank you…" Naruto replied as he looked at the Hyuga Patriarch from the corner of his eyes. Naruto could have sworn he saw a halo over Hiashi's head while he was whistling and trying to look innocent...

"So Naruto, would you care to explain what you were talking about before in Hiashi-sama's office?" Neji asked.

Naruto nodded his head before he explained what happened while he was held captive. Neji and Hanabi looked horrified about what happened but they also felt sympathetic to Naruto for all he had to go through. Hinata sat by his side the whole time he talked and held his hand underneath the table.

"…and that's the whole story…" Naruto said in a dead tone.

"It's hard to believe Kumo has such technology to do such a thing…" Neji whispered in fear.

Naruto's eyes hardened before he said, "…had…" in an iron tone.

"Right…now…how are you going to explain this to the others, Naruto?" Neji asked.

"What do you mean? Shouldn't I tell them the truth?" Naruto asked bewildered.

"I don't think that would be such a great idea, Naruto-san. While I doubt our friends will care, there are those who will look for any excuse to harass you and they will definitely use my nephew as a target." Neji looked around to see shocked faces looking back at him.

"What? It is not that far-fetched to think that the more idiotic villagers would stoop to such lows…" Neji said as he was starting to feel uncomfortable.

"It's not that, Neji…it's just that you called Minato-chan your nephew…" Naruto whispered in awe.

"I did?" Neji asked in a confused tone.

"You did, Neji-nii-san!" Hanabi called out.

Neji closed his eyes and crossed his arms. "Hmph, I do consider Hinata-sama and Hanabi-sama as my sisters so logic dictates that Minato-chan would be my nephew as well, Hanabi-sama."

Before he knew it, Neji was engulfed by two hugs. Both Hinata and Hanabi hugged Neji with happy smiles on their faces.

"That's the first time you acknowledged us as sisters. Even though we keep calling you Nii-san, you have never indicated if you felt the same for us, Neji-nii-san," Hinata said.

Neji looked confused about how he should react so he looked over to Naruto. Naruto rolled his eyes before saying, "Hug them back, you baka…"

Neji tentatively returned the hug before they all broke and went back to their seats. Dinner lasted a few more minutes before everyone started to leave. Naruto held Minato against his shoulder as he patted the baby's back. It didn't take long before the baby gave out a large burp which shocked Hinata.

"He must get his lungs from you, Naruto-kun," Hinata jokingly said.

Naruto fake pouted which caused Hinata to start giggling at his cute face. Naruto tried to hold back his grin, but it was futile when he heard Hinata laugh. Hinata saw Naruto's smile and felt her heart melt at the sight. She knew she was blushing, but when she saw him with a slight blush, she didn't feel as insecure anymore. Minato decided to intervene and pulled on Naruto's hair while pointing towards Hinata.

Naruto decided to tease Minato a bit by holding out and keeping him eye level. "What do you want, Minato-chan? Do you want to nap?"

"Bah" Minato shook his head.

Naruto smiled, "Do want your bottle?"

"Bah!" Minato squealed a little louder and started to look upset.

Naruto pulled Minato close to his chest and held him with one hand while he snapped his fingers with the other, "I know! You want mommy, don't you?" Naruto grinned as he looked down at his son.

Minato's eyes lit up and he smiled his toothless grin again. "Dah! Dah!"

Hinata started to smile as she watched Naruto and Minato interact. She could tell by the way Naruto acted that he was a natural at being a father. She had always imagined what it would be like to have a future with Naruto and every time she knew he would be a good father. She was very happy to see that she was right. Hinata was snapped out of her thoughts when Minato started to stretch his arms for her again as Naruto held him out for her to pick him up. Hinata gently held Minato against as a content smile formed on her face.

The teens walked down the hall in companionable silence until they were disturbed by an unwanted voice.

"I see you're back, beautiful." A cocky and arrogant voice echoed behind Naruto and Hinata.

Hinata actually growled and looked very annoyed by the voice. Naruto felt a sense of deja-vu pass through him. At the end of the hall stood the ever arrogant Keisho Hyuga. Keisho had the standard Hyuga dark long hair and pale eyes, but unlike the others, he had a cocky smirk on his lips nearly 24/7.

"Keisho-san…" Hinata's voice was laced with venom that Naruto had never heard before.

"Aww, not happy to see me?" Keisho froze mid-step when he saw a blond baby in Hinata's arms.

"What is that?" he sneered at Minato. Both Hinata and Naruto immediately shifted to protective parent mode.

"_**He**_ is _**our **_son." Hinata made sure to emphasize her words while gesturing to the intimidating Naruto.

Keisho took a step back as Naruto leveled him a glare that could freeze hell. Unfortunately, the cocky Hyuga decided not to back down.

"Why waste time with this pathetic outcast when you can have an elite such as myself?" Keisho smiled seductively towards Hinata.

Hinata started to gag at the disgusting look Keisho was giving her. "You disgust me, Keisho. Not only is he the father of my child, we have been betrothed; if you don't understand it _that_ then let me tell you in Layman's terms, I. AM. TAKEN!" Hinata nearly shouted.

She didn't know where this side of her came from, but there was something about Keisho that always got under her skin and caused her to become more hostile. Hinata deduced that the less time she was near the egotistic prick, the better it was for not only her but anyone in her vicinity when she was angry.

Naruto noticed the shift in Hinata's attitude and decided to help her. He wrapped his arm around her narrow waist and pulled her close to his body. He also glared daggers at the man in front of him that had angered _**his**_ hime.

Keisho saw that he was defeated, but his pride made him turn out one last jab. "Whatever, my offer still stands. When you're tired of this loser, I'll be waiting," Keisho said before he started to walk off.

Hinata looked like she was about to shout but Naruto turned her so they could look at each other's eyes then he shook his head. Hinata relented, but she still had the need to defend _**her**_ Naruto.

Before Keisho walked completely away, Naruto shouted his name. "What do you want?" Keisho sneered out, but he was only met with a bloodthirsty smirk…a smirk he remembered plaguing his dreams a week ago.

"I remember you…" Naruto replied ominously.

"W-w-what?" Keisho stuttered out

Naruto's smirk just became fiercer and more bloodthirsty. "How is your hand? I remember it turned a lovely shade of purple after our little…handshake…" Naruto chuckled evilly as Keisho started to pale even more.

"It's f-f-fine," Keisho stuttered out before he sprinted off to parts unknown.

It was silent for a moment before both Naruto and Hinata burst out in hysterical laughter.

"Naruto-kun, I think you need to start explaining what you have been doing since you got here," Hinata said between giggles as a bright smile emerged on her face.

"I'd love to my dear; you see it started off when Hiashi and I went to Ichiraku's…" Naruto dived off into his tale while Hinata hung off every word.

* * *

><p><strong>Hyuga Compound: Unknown Room<strong>

* * *

><p>"That monster and that abomination are making a mockery of our clan!" a voiced shouted to his compatriots who were standing beside him.<p>

"Quiet, Norio! We don't want anyone to hear us," a different voice hissed out.

"Though Norio's vehemence has been noted, Takashi is correct. We do not want to be caught yet." A third voice whispered.

"So what do you have in mind to remove those monsters?" Norio spat out.

"Patience, Norio. We will prove that he is a danger and then Hiashi will have no other choice but to kick them out," Takashi said.

"That is a lie and you know it. Hiashi is under that demon's spell as well as his mother and the branch house. If we wish to remove the demon, then we must make sure we do it ourselves." Norio said as he stared down Takashi.

"You, both of you calm down!" The third voice said.

Both men broke their death stares and look at the third man who was hidden in the shadows. "This is not a difficult challenge. We will remove the child then the Uzumaki boy will have no reason to remain here. We were able to remove the Clan Leader's wife, a mere baby will pose no challenge to us,"

Both men turned to the third man and nodded. "You are right, but when do we strike?"

"When they least expect it…" the third voice said before he walked back into the shadows and disappeared.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter End<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well there you go! Once again, I'm sorry for the late updates and I hope I won't take as long as this again. If you have questions or wish to suggest an idea, you can always PM me. **

**Thank you hinatasgreatestfan for beta reading this chapter** **I'd also like to give a shout out to Hinatasgreatestfan's stories. He finally pulled "A Single Call" off hiatus as well as adopting two stories from another amazing author, Mr. Alaska. So check out: To Save a Life, Meeting Your Demon, and Two Lonely Children if you're looking for some good Naruhina stories. I'd also recommend looking at Chewie Cookies, Solvdrage, and devilsknight86's pages as well.**

**Please leave a review! **


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer**: "I don't own _Naruto_

"Normal"

"_Thoughts"_

"**YELLING or JUTSUS**"

**"Demon talk**"

"_**Demon Thoughts**_"

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><p><em><strong>Father to a Blond Hyuga<strong>_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 11<strong>_

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><p><strong>Hyuga Compound<strong>

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><p>Naruto had just finished retelling his tale of what happened since he left Konoha to Hinata as they arrived at the entrance of her room. Hinata was speechless at the end, but she placed her hand on Naruto's bicep and squeezed gently to show she was there for him. He smiled gratefully to her which caused her heart to flutter. Unfortunately, they both fell into an awkward silence and were unsure of what to do next.<p>

Naruto placed his hand behind his neck and stared at the ceiling while Hinata shifted Minato to her other arm while staring at the ground. Neither really knew what to do now or what to say.

"So…" Naruto tried to start up another conversation.

"Umm…" Hinata replied while fidgeting around a bit.

Naruto sighed before her looked straight into Hinata's beautiful lavender eyes. No matter how he felt before, looking into Hinata's eyes seemed to put him into a calm state of mind.

"Hinata-chan, I know this is a lot to take in…and a lot has happened lately, but I'm glad I'm here with you. I still don't know a lot of things about relationships and emotions, but I really want to try with you and take things slow so I don't screw this up," Naruto said softly.

Hinata felt her heart do flips in her chest before she smiled at Naruto. "I've always wanted to be by your side, Naruto…it was one of my greatest wishes. I can't say I'm an expert in relationships either, since this would be my first, but I want to do this with you and only you. I want to continue to be there for you and guide you when you need it like how you've done for me. I can't describe how happy I am right now," Hinata stated as unshed tears of happiness glistened in her eyes.

Naruto smiled as he felt a surge of warmth in his chest while he looked at the elated Hinata. "Are you sure? Being with me is probably going to be a challenge. This is your last chance to back out now," Naruto said half-jokingly.

Hinata didn't reply with words. Instead, she stood up on her toes and lightly kissed Naruto on his lips. Naruto's eyes nearly bulged out of his head at Hinata's boldness, but he responded to her kiss nevertheless. Naruto wrapped his arms around Hinata's waist while he pressed his lips more firmly onto hers. They were so close that Hinata thought that Naruto could feel her heart pounding against her chest.

Neither knew how long they were lip-locked but a small cry from between them snapped them out of their reverie. While Minato liked being close to both his parents, that did not mean he liked to be sandwiched between them. His infantile mind deduced that it was somehow his father's fault so he gave Naruto the meanest Hyuga glare his cute baby face could muster. Needless to say, Naruto took a step back…a rather large step back.

"Hehe, I'm sorry Minato-chan, I forgot you were there for a second." Naruto laughed nervously as he rubbed the back of his head.

"_Dear Kami, he must get that glare from Hiashi…he's not even a year old, but that glare just made my blood run cold,"_ Naruto thought with a shiver.

Somewhere in the Hyuga Compound, Hiashi smirked as he felt a sudden wave of paternal/Hyuga pride and victory wash over him.

Hinata seemed completely unfazed by Minato's death glare as she just giggled at Naruto's antics and tickled underneath Minato's chin. Minato relinquished his glare and started to giggle with Hinata. Naruto let out a sigh of relief before laughing lightly at the ridiculousness of being intimidated by a baby.

"I guess we should go to bed. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow," Naruto said regretfully as he scooped Minato into his arms despite the baby's pleas to remain in his mother's arms.

Hinata felt a pang of sadness when Minato was taken from her arms. She could tell Minato was just as reluctant as she was at being separated since she saw how Minato was making a fuss in Naruto's arms. She gently picked up Minato and started swaying him back and forth while humming to him. Despite Minato's valiant efforts to remain awake, Hinata's soothing voice and the gentle rocking motions proved to be too much as the baby entered dreamland.

Naruto stared at her with a sense of longing in his eyes. He started to recall some nights where he wished his mom was there to hold him and to love him. Some nights where he would cry himself to sleep, he would wake with nothing but a hollow feeling within him. He envied his son as he watched Hinata take care of Minato, but he realized that she was going to be a great mother just by the way it came naturally to her. Whatever feelings Naruto was harboring were washed away with pride for the woman standing in front of him.

Hinata looked up to see Naruto beaming at her. She blushed prettily as she handed the sleeping Minato back to Naruto and started to twiddle her fingers.

"My mother used to hum that lullaby to Hanabi when she didn't want to sleep. I thought it would help Minato, too," Hinata explained as she continued to look down.

"You're amazing, Hinata-chan. Minato-chan usually never puts up any resistance when he wants to sleep, but when he doesn't want to it takes me forever to get him to sleep. You're a natural at this parent thing. It took me months to figure it out," Naruto said as smiled at Hinata.

"I-it was n-nothing, Naruto-kun. Just watching you with Minato, I know you're a great parent, too, and we'll be there for each other, right?" Hinata asked hopefully.

Naruto pulled her into a one-armed hug as he made sure not to squish Minato again. "Of course," he whispered into her ear and gave her a light peck on the lips before walking to the door next to where they'd been standing and into his room.

Hinata walked into her own room in a sort of daze until the events of the day finally caught up to her. She had a son…she and Naruto were finally in a relationship…she kissed Naruto…and he KISSED BACK!

"YES!" Hinata shouted as she fell into a dead heap into her bed.

Naruto chuckled when he heard Hinata's excited yell through the wall. He placed Minato down in his crib before changing into his sleeping clothes and falling face first into his bed.

"To new beginnings…" Naruto muttered into his pillow before falling asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Hyuga Compound: Past Midnight<strong>

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><p>Not a single sound was heard through the compound as the residents inside were all peacefully asleep, except for one young infant. Minato woke up in the middle of the night and started crying due to the darkness and from not seeing either of his parents.<p>

Naruto jumped up from his bed as soon as he heard Minato's cries and groaned, knowing that it would be nearly impossible to get Minato to go back to sleep. While Minato was one of the easiest infants to get to sleep, eat, or behave when he wanted to, it was an uphill battle to do things he didn't want to do.

Bracing himself for another sleepless night, Naruto dragged his fatigued body over to Minato and scooped him into his arms. Minato quieted a bit when he spotted Naruto in the shadows, but he continued to cry.

"C'mon Minato-chan, please go to sleep. Daddy is very tired," Naruto said groggily while rocking Minato gently.

Minato ignored Naruto's pleas and started to cry louder than he did when he first woke his father. Naruto groaned, racking his sleep-driven mind for a way to calm down the baby boy.

Hinata jumped up from her sleep the moment she heard Minato crying, but she thought she imagined it when it quieted down momentarily. Traveling from Wave Country and back was quite exhausting, so she wouldn't put it past her mind to make things up in her sleep-deprived state. She was about to rest her head back onto her comfy pillow when Minato started crying again.

Hinata sat straight up before she leaped out of her bed and rushed to her baby. Had she been thinking properly, she would have thought of the repercussions to her image for rushing into a boy's room in the middle of the night. Some of the older members would call it improper, but Hinata didn't honestly give a damn about anything but soothing Minato.

Naruto was on the brink of falling asleep while standing when someone barged into his room. Naruto nearly jumped out of his skin until he noticed it was Hinata in her white silk nightgown. She seemed to glide over to him like an apparition and gently took Minato from his arms. Minato instantly quieted down and was soon asleep again thanks to Hinata's ministrations.

Naruto smiled sleepily before letting out a large yawn. "Thanks…Hina-chan…I didn't…think I would be able…to stay awake…even with Mina-chan crying like…that."

Naruto's yawn seemed to be contagious as Hinata yawned as well. "No problem Naru-kun…I couldn't sleep when my baby needed me…" Hinata replied drowsily.

Naruto's smile grew larger as he wrapped his arms around Hinata and guided her and Minato, who was still in her arms, to the bed. Hinata was too tired to protest and instead snuggled into Naruto's warm torso before lying down and falling asleep in his embrace.

Naruto looked at the beautiful woman in his arms and his precious son within her arms. _"Kami-sama…You've put me through a lot of shit in my short life, but it was all worth it to have these two with me, and I will protect them no matter who or what we face…"_ Naruto vowed before he pulled Hinata closer to him and fell asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Hyuga Compound: Morning<strong>

* * *

><p>Keisho was not having a good morning…far from it. He kept imagining his ticket to power in the arms of that blond barbarian and her holding his vile spawn. The worst part was that every time he would think of a way to strike back at the uncouth savage, the pain in his still shattered hand would flare up.<p>

He knew he was no match for Naruto with only one hand. He had seen what the mongrel had done to their prodigy during the Chunin Exams nearly 3 years ago. At first he was only slightly impressed, and convinced himself that Neji, while very good, was still a part of the inferior Branch House and the blond would stand no chance against a member of the Main House. That notion was dismissed as fast as his bones snapped in Naruto's grip.

Keisho still shivered when he remembered the amount of bloodlust dripping off Naruto's voice and the threats of untold amounts of pain just from his gaze alone. The blond had denied him the right to lord over the lower branch like he was born to do, but now he had also stolen his way to rise to the top of the Hyuga.

Of course Hiashi had a second daughter, but she was too strong-willed and fiery for Keisho's taste, and he wouldn't be able to manipulate her as well as he thought he could with Hinata. However, the meek princess had seemed to grow a backbone as soon as the blond abomination was mentioned. It was frustrating seeing his well-laid plans backfire on him.

Keisho sighed once as he thought about what to do next. Hinata and Naruto seemed to have already conceived a child, so there was no real way of separating them at this point. One would think that the Hyuga princess having a child would be bigger news around the compound…

Keisho froze as a devilish smile formed on his face. Hiashi-sama and the council would probably want to keep this under wraps to save face from the villagers and from the more conservative members of the clan. Keisho wondered what could happen if _**someone**_ let it slip that the Hyuga princess defiled herself with the village pariah and bore his child. The outrage and chaos that would ensue would be marvelous for Keisho.

Keisho stood up from the dining table where he had been sitting before approaching two Hyuga Main Branch members. They were both female with long, elegant brown hair and porcelain skin.

"Greetings Ukina-chan _**(rumor)**_ and Uwasa-chan _**(gossip)**_, how are you this fine day?" Keisho said with a charming smile.

Ukina rolled her eyes while Uwasa muttered something that sounded like "not him again".

"My sister and I are fine, Keisho-san, was there something you needed?" Ukina said in a clipped tone.

"Aww, are you both still mad over that little incident?" Keisho said sheepishly.

"Little incident? You tried to cheat on us with each other you pig!" Uwasa yelled at him.

"I will admit I was foolish and stupid to do that to you, and I just wanted to throw an olive branch out. We all used to be good friends," Keisho said with faux sadness. He didn't regret what he did at all.

"I would rather remain as far as away from you as possible," Uwasa huffed, but her sister placed a calming hand on her shoulder.

"What did you have in mind, Keisho-san?" Ukina said in a guarded tone.

Keisho almost smirked victoriously, but he smiled another charming smile instead. "I was thinking we could go to the market place to buy a gift for Hinata-sama and her son."

Both girls' eyes enlarged at what Keisho said. "Hinata-sama has a child? How? She's younger than us by three years! Who is the father?" Ukina rattled off.

"Umm…I can't recall the father's name, but he was that blond teen who has been staying at the compound," Keisho said smoothly. It would be better if no one connected Naruto to him; he would much rather avoid a world of pain, thank you very much.

Uwasa gasped loudly. "You mean that blond hunk is with Hinata-sama? That's not fair! Oh, Kami, that cute baby he was carrying around was Hinata-sama's son! I had hoped he was a single parent or something…" she said in a depressed tone.

Keisho had to control the bile rising in his throat as he listened to Uwasa gush about Naruto. What did that savage have that made Hyuga women go gaga over him?

"While it is lamentable to know Naruto-san is not available, we should feel happy for him and Hinata-sama, sister. Let's go with Keisho-san to get them a welcoming gift. I'm sure there are others who would wish to pay proper tribute to the new heir of the Hyuga Clan," Ukina said as she placed a comforting hand on Uwasa's shoulder.

"Why must you be so reasonable, sister? Fine, let's go, maybe Naruto-san has a brother as good-looking as him," Uwasa said with a giggle which caused Ukina to smile and Keisho to nearly dry heave.

"What's he got that I don't?" Keisho said involuntarily.

The sisters looked at each other briefly before turning to Keisho and replying,

"Blond hair."

"Good looks."

"Body of a god."

"Charming smile,"

"Friendly disposition."

"Charisma."

"Friendly and welcoming attitude."

"An incredibly cute son that he's willing to die for."

"Those blue eyes that seem to spark with determination."

"OKAY! I GET IT!" Keisho finally snapped. Both sisters just giggled before walking to the entrance of the Hyuga compound.

"Sister, I do believe Keisho-san is jealous of Naruto-san," Ukina said innocently.

"I believe so as well, sister. Come now, Keisho, we still need to get our gifts for Hinata-sama. It was your idea after all," Uwasa said in a smug tone.

Keisho grumbled but followed the twins out of the compound. He'd endure their pokes at his pride as long as he saw Naruto and Hinata's world crumble around them.

* * *

><p><strong>Hyuga Compound: 2 Hours Later<strong>

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><p>Hiashi, Neji, and Hanabi were all sitting in the dining room eating breakfast. All three noticed that Hinata, Naruto, and Minato were currently missing, but shrugged it off since they knew they all had a long day yesterday.<p>

"Hanabi, would you and Neji take a meal to Naruto and Hinata? I'm sure they are famished by now. Send Naruto to my office once they are finished. He has another appointment with Inoichi-sama."

Neji just shrugged while Hanabi nodded before both went to the kitchen with their dishes. Hiashi smiled slightly before turning back to the papers he was reading.

Neji and Hanabi were carrying two trays of food and one bottle of warm formula for Minato down the corridor that led to Naruto and Hinata's rooms.

"So Neji-nii, what are you doing today?" Hanabi asked.

"I'm not really doing anything of importance, Hanabi-sama. Most likely, I will spend most of the day training with my team. Tenten-chan said she would stop over before we go to meet Gai-sensei and Lee," Neji said casually.

"Oh, so Tenten-chan is coming over again, eh? I wonder if I'll be able to greet her this time before she hauls you down to some dark and secluded alleyway and has her way with you...you wouldn't mind that, though, would you, Niisan?" Hanabi teased and nearly dropped her tray laughing when Neji's face took on an interesting shade of red.

"Hanabi-sama! Such conversations are frowned upon for women of your stature. You shouldn't even be thinking about that kind of stuff!" Neji said in a disapproving tone, but the blush had yet to fade from his face, so it was quite hard for Hanabi to take him seriously.

"I'm not hearing a no…" Hanabi said in the same teasing tone.

"Hanabi-sama!" Neji cried out in both frustration and embarrassment.

"Okay, okay, you should calm down, Nii-san. I'll stop teasing you for now since we're at Hinata's room," Hanabi said with a giggle.

Neji knocked on the door, but no one replied so Hanabi opened the door slightly to see an empty room.

"Huh? She's not here. That's strange, Hinata usually makes up her bed before she leaves her room, but she left it a mess and threw her clothes on the floor," Hanabi said after surveying her sister's room.

"That is quite strange. Maybe we should check on Naruto to see if he knows where Hinata-sama is," Neji replied with narrowed eyes while Hanabi nodded before walking over to the door next to Hinata's.

Hanabi didn't bother to knock this time and pushed the door open before freezing at the sight in front of her. Neji was about to reprimand her for her actions when he saw what made Hanabi stop and gape.

Both saw Naruto sprawled out across his bed in a diagonal spread eagle position with one arm and leg hanging off the bed. What caused both Hyuga members to freeze, though, was that he wasn't wearing a sleeping shirt, and Hinata was also sleeping on Naruto's bed and using his bare torso as a pillow while snuggling up to his side. In her arms was a wide awake baby Minato who was playing with his mother's silky bangs that framed her face.

Minato saw Hanabi and Neji and smiled a toothless smile at both of them before reaching up toward Hanabi, who was holding the bottle for him.

Neji was the first to snap out of his trance first before scowling and activating his Byakugan.

"NARUTO! HOW DARE YOU DEFILE HINATA-SAMA!" Neji yelled before he lunged for the startled, semiconscious Naruto.

"Wha-?" was all Naruto could say before Neji collided with him and knocked him off the bed.

Hinata was also startled awake and was just able to make out Neji diving towards her. Her ninja training kicked in as she dodged him with Minato, who was cheering through the whole series of events. Hinata saw Hanabi staring at her, slack-jawed and wide-eyed.

"Hanabi-chan, what's going on?" Hinata asked her younger sister.

"Why don't you tell us, sister? We just walked in to see you snuggling up to Naruto in his bed…" Hanabi said in faux innocent tone. Her eyes were gleaming with mischief.

Hinata's body didn't know whether it should blush or pale due to the implication of what Hanabi said.

"I umm…that is to say…um…I..." Hinata stuttered incoherently. Minato decided to make his presence known by reaching out for the bottle in Hanabi's hand.

Hanabi giggled before she scooped Minato up into her arms from the flabbergasted Hinata. "Calm down, Nee-chan, I know you didn't do anything since you're still fully dressed and Minato-chan was between you when you woke up…so…did you enjoy sleeping on Naruto's chest? It looks all muscular and hard, though…" Hanabi teased.

Hinata's mind almost overloaded at that point, but she somehow maintained her composure…barely…

"We should stop Niisan before he hurts Naruto-kun…" Hinata said weakly as she tried to change the conversation topic.

"Fiiiine, let's go save your boy-toy before Niisan breaks him," Hanabi said in faux annoyed tone.

"HANABI!" Hinata cried out in mortification.

Hanabi rolled her eyes while Minato giggled at the funny faces his mother was making. Hanabi and Hinata walked over to Neji, who was straddling Naruto's back and had his head in an arm lock.

Hanabi snickered silently before saying, "Niisan! I didn't know you swung that way! Won't Tenten-chan be so disappointed…?"

Neji shot straight off Naruto and was red in the face from both anger and embarrassment. Before he could retort, Hanabi and Minato broke out in laughter with Hinata giving a light chuckle.

"Niisan, you should look and Hinata-neechan. She's fully clothed. Plus, Minato-chan was in her arms when she was asleep, so I'm sure they didn't do anything," Hanabi explained logically.

Neji looked down in embarrassment, but his pride refused to let him apologize to Naruto for the misunderstanding until he noticed the sharp looks the Hyuga sisters were giving him.

"Naruto-san and Hinata-sama, I apologize for letting Hanabi-sama burst into your room uninvited…" Neji said, intentionally missing the point…

"…and…?" Hinata asked.

"…and for my behavior…" Neji said reluctantly.

"Can you be more specific, Niisan?" Hanabi asked with a raised eyebrow and wondered why Neji was being so difficult.

Neji huffed and crossed his arms before relenting. "Okay fine, I'm sorry for trying to choke Naruto to death, can I go now?" Neji asked in a disinterested tone.

"I think that's the best we're going to get out of him for now, Hanabi-chan," Hinata whispered to Hanabi, and Hanabi shook her head in exasperation.

"Fine…we'll see you later, Nii-san," Hanabi said in a dismissive tone.

"OI! That Bas-" Naruto realized that Minato was staring at him curiously while both Hanabi and Hinata were glaring at him. Naruto laughed nervously before putting his hand behind his head and smiling nervously.

Neji smirked as he saw he was no longer under Hanabi and Hinata's crosshairs.

"Were you going to say something, Naruto?" Neji asked in a taunting tone to rile up Naruto for old times' sake.

"What I was going to say is that you are a mother-trucking son of a biscuit-eating bulldog. Go duck yourself, you mitt-head!" Naruto raged, but managed to keep his obscenities to himself.

There was a moment of silence before everyone erupted in laughter at the ridiculousness of Naruto's sentence.

"Mother-trucking?" Hanabi wheezed out between laughs.

"Go duck yourself? Hahahaha only Naruto could come up with these on the fly," Neji said as he wiped a stray tear of laughter out of his eye.

Even Hinata was giggling loudly. Naruto just huffed and turned his back to them slightly so they couldn't see him smile slightly.

Neji was able to recover his composure the fastest, so he told Naruto and Hinata that he and Hanabi had brought them breakfast and Naruto needed to go to Hiashi's office after he was finished.

"Put a shirt on when you go to Otou-san's office, okay Nar_uke,__"_ Hanabi said with a wink as she dragged a blushing Hinata and a giggling Minato out of Naruto's room.

Naruto paused for a moment to think about what Hanabi had said before his face paled.

"HANABI! I AM NOT AN UKE!" Naruto shouted and startled the poor branch servant who was walking by.

Embarrassed beyond belief, Naruto rushed back into his room and slammed his door shut. He could have sworn he could hear Hanabi's laughter from down the hall.

* * *

><p><strong>Konoha Market District<strong>

* * *

><p>Ino Yamanaka was bored. She had just waved goodbye to her father as he had to tend to a patient at the Hyuga compound and left her in control of the family flower shop. Ino blew a strand of platinum blond hair away from her face before she stared at the passing citizens walking by.<p>

"Gah, what a boring day…I wonder what everyone is up to?" Ino said to herself as she imagined her teammates doing their normal routine. Shikamaru was probably lazing about on a hill somewhere, and Choji was likely right beside him, eating a bag of chips.

Kiba and Shino were probably on a mission while Lee and Tenten were training with Neji. As far as she knew, Naruto was still on his training trip which only left Sakura and Hinata. She hadn't heard from Hinata in almost a year since her house-arrest/typical-clan-BS thingy, so that left only Sakura.

At first, none of the rookies wanted to be near Sakura because of the hurtful things she said, but it was Ino who first accepted her back. She knew Sakura was just speaking out of anger and didn't really mean anything she said. Sakura even told her that she felt so horrible about what she said and wished she could take it all back. She apologized to everyone she insulted and was on good terms with everyone again…more or less…

"_Sakura is probably at the hospital getting more training from Tsunade-sama," _Ino thought as she ruled out the last possible person she could hang out with today.

Ino was about to sigh again when three Hyuga walked into her establishment. There were two females that had to be twins and one male who was carrying multiple bags filled with an assorted amount of items.

"Welcome to the Yamanaka Flower Shop. I'm Ino, is there anything specific you are looking for that I can assist with?" Ino recited her usual routine with a small smile of gratitude towards her customers for alleviating her boredom.

One of the female Hyuga stepped forward. She seemed to be bubbling with excitement, but it was contained in the regal posture that most Hyuga possessed.

"My sister and I would like to purchase some flowers for a special occasion. Do you have any specific flowers for people celebrating births?" Uwasa asked with barely hid excitement.

"You'll have to pardon my sister's giddiness. She loves shopping," Ukina said in a more serene tone, but even she had a small smile on her face.

"Yeah, let's get this over with already," Keisho said irritably as he shifted a bag to his free arm.

Both Ukina and Uwasa frowned at Keisho but said nothing. They turned back and looked at Ino expectantly.

"Well, pink carnations can represent a mother's love seeing as she's a new mom," Ino replied thoughtfully.

Ukina nodded her head in agreement, "Yes a bouquet of those will do. I think that will be all."

Ino nodded before she gathered a bouquet of pink carnations and handed it to Uwasa. "Would you like a card with that?"

"Yes, can you make it out to Hinata-sama and Naruto-san? We wish them the best for the future and the best of health for their son, Minato," Ukina replied; Uwasa nodded her head in agreement, and Keisho just rolled his eyes.

Ino froze in place when Ukina mentioned the names of two people she hadn't heard from in a long time…

"_That can't be possible…I mean I know Hinata loves Naruto, but to have his child? She's not even 16 yet! It has to be someone else…"_ Ino thought frantically, but she knew Naruto and Hinata were not common names.

Smiling a bit forcefully, Ino turned back to the Hyuga trio and asked them if she meant Hinata Hyuga the clan heiress and Naruto Uzumaki.

"Yes, that would be them! You should see their son, Minato-chan. He has to be one of the cutest babies you'll ever see! He has blond hair like his father and it's just as spiky, but he has Hinata-sama's eyes!" Uwasa gushed.

Ino paused and imagined a chibi Naruto with Hinata's eyes, and she couldn't contain the giggle that escaped her throat. "He does sound adorable. I may have to check up on them later. Naruto and Hinata are both my friends, and I haven't seen either in a while," Ino replied as she hooked the card to the bouquet and handed it to the Hyuga twins.

"I'm sure they'll be delighted to hear from you, Ino-san. Well, we must return to the Compound now. Thank you for your services," Ukina said respectfully and bowed as the trio left the flower shop.

Ino's smile turned into a frown. "Naruto and Hinata better have some answers for me…" she muttered to herself as she ripped her apron off, turned the open sign to closed, and rushed towards the Hyuga Compound.

* * *

><p><strong>Hyuga Compound Entrance<strong>

* * *

><p>"Could you have taken any longer, Neji-kun?" Tenten huffed as she tapped her foot impatiently.<p>

"My apologies, Tenten-chan. Hinata-sama needed my help with an urgent matter." Neji grimaced when he remembered that Hinata had asked him to throw away Minato's dirty diaper.

"Well, let's hurry up; we don't want to keep Gai-sensei and Lee-kun alone with each other for too long. Who knows what those two would challenge each other to?" Tenten commented as she started walking away.

Had she not turned around, Tenten would have been barreled into by a speeding Ino. Luckily, Tenten was able to sidestep her with the grace of a matador.

"Ino-san? What's the rush?" Tenten asked, but she was ignored as Ino went straight up to Neji.

"YOU! You would know if it's true! Did Hinata really get knocked up and have a son with Naruto?" Ino asked as she poked at Neji's chest.

Neji's eyes widened, and he took a step back while Tenten's jaw hit the ground in shock.

"Umm I umm don't know what you are talking about…?" Neji said in a slightly panicked tone.

"Ino-san, what are you talking about? Isn't Naruto on his training mission with Master Jiraiya?" Tenten asked as she tried to keep a calm head through this whole situation.

"I thought so, too, but three Hyuga walked into the flower shop and asked for some flowers to give to Hinata for her "successful birth". So, Neji, is it true?" Ino asked as she glared at the Hyuga prodigy.

"Umm…Oh! I think I hear Hiashi-sama calling me. I'll be right back!" Neji tried to run back into the compound but a kunai whizzed by his ear.

"Neji-kun…I believe Ino-san asked you a question…" Tenten said in a sickly sweet voice as she prepared another kunai just in case Neji tried to run again.

"_Crap…sorry Naruto and Hinata…but I really don't want to die right now,"_ Neji thought as he sighed and invited both dangerous females into the Hyuga Compound.

Somehow Neji was able to remain silent and composed as Ino and Tenten followed closely behind him. They eventually came up to the kitchen where Hinata was playing peek-a-boo with Minato, who was sitting in a highchair.

"Where'd mommy go, Minato-chan?" Hinata asked as she hid her face behind her hands.

"Dah! Dah!" Minato pointed at her hands and burst out giggling when Hinata revealed her face.

"You're so smart," Hinata cooed as she tickled his tiny feet which caused another round of laughter.

Hinata was having too much fun to notice the two gaping women standing behind her. Neji cleared his throat just as Hinata hid her face again. Hinata turned around and dropped her hands, instantly going pale when she saw Tenten and Ino staring at her and then Minato.

"Umm…hi guys…long time no see…?" Hinata chuckled nervously and started poking her forefingers together.

"Yeah, it's been so long! It has been so long that you had a kid with Naruto and didn't tell any of us! No one even knew he was back yet!" Ino nearly yelled, but she remembered there was a baby in the room and didn't want to startle him.

Minato looked at the two new women who were huddling around his mother. Curiosity swam across his lavender eyes when he saw how the blond girl took a step closer while the panda-looking girl stood back and stared at him.

"Wait? Where is Naruto? Is he even here? Don't tell me he knocked you up and left! That's what he did, didn't he, Hinata? When I get my hands on him I'm gonna beat him within an inch of his life, fox or no fox!" Ino raged and started pacing while muttering different ways to fillet Naruto's brain.

"Ino-san, you should calm down. You're freaking out Hinata-chan and the baby," Tenten said calmly.

Said blond stopped her mini-tantrum to see both mother and son staring at her with large disbelieving eyes. Ino took a calming breath before her eyes softened.

"I'm sorry about that Hinata-chan, but the thought of Naruto leaving you with such a burden by yourself is infuriating, and, as your friend, I wouldn't let him hurt you like that," Ino explained calmly.

Hinata heard the sincerity in Ino's voice and smiled slightly. "While I appreciate the thought, Ino-chan, I believe you should get some facts straight. First, Minato-chan is not and never will be a burden to me. He's my son, and I love him. Secondly, Naruto-kun isn't on his training trip. He's staying here at the Hyuga Compound with me, and he's meeting with my father right now."

"Oh…well, don't I feel dumb…" Ino muttered to herself.

"You're not dumb, Ino-san, just…misinformed…" Tenten joked as she patted the other girl on the shoulder.

"Yeah, well, I still feel bad…so, Hinata-chan…you gonna introduce us to your son?" Ino asked as she shifted her attention back to Hinata who picked Minato up from his highchair.

Minato clung to his mom and seemed to be more shy than he was before, which made him that much more adorable to Ino and Tenten. Hinata and Neji seemed to be confused since Minato was usually happy about seeing new people.

"Wow! He's so cute, Hinata-chan! He looks like a mini-Naruto, but he acts like you!" Ino gushed as she peered into Minato's lavender eyes.

Minato seemed to hold Hinata tighter, but he gave a slight wave in Ino's direction which earned another happy squeal from said girl. Minato ducked his head as if to hide from Ino after she started talking animatedly.

Tenten seemed to notice this and placed a hand on Ino's shoulder to calm her down. "Ino-san, I think you're scaring him," Tenten spoke softly while pointing at Minato, who was huddling up within Hinata's grasp.

Ino tried to calm herself down again and gave Minato a reassuring smile, which seemed to work because he didn't duck his head when she looked at him this time.

"I'm sorry Minato-chan; Aunty Ino gets really excited very easily…" Ino cooed as she rubbed his soft, spiky, blond locks of hair.

"Aunty Ino?" Tenten and Hinata replied at the same time while Neji stood back with an amused smirk.

"Well yeah, I mean the Konoha 12 have always been like a family in my mind. We grew up together, and we became ninja together, and we'll always have each other's backs, so, yeah, I always thought we were like a mini-family," Ino replied sincerely.

"Well, when you put it that way, I guess Minato-chan can start calling me Aunty Tenten," Tenten replied with a large smile.

"Oh? I thought he was going to be calling you that when you finally hooked up with his Uncle Neji," Ino teased which caused the weapon mistress to blush as well as the Hyuga prodigy.

"I fail to see how that is a matter worth discussing right now," Neji sputtered in embarrassment.

"Oh, please…" Ino was about to start another rant, but she saw the pleading in Tenten's eyes and decided to drop the subject…for now…

"So Hinata-chan, how have you and Naruto been? I haven't seen you guys in ages," Ino asked the young mother as she gave Minato his bottle.

"I've been well, Ino-chan. There isn't really much I can say besides this big surprise I have here," Hinata replied while smiling fondly at Minato.

Ino moved closer to Hinata and whispered, "So Hinata…was Naruto good?"

Hinata didn't get what Ino was implying right away though.

"Good? What do you mean Ino-chan?" Hinata asked naively.

Ino rolled her eyes. "I mean was he good in bed? Oh and how big is Naruto? C'mon, it'll stay between us girls."

Hinata's eyes grew large and were filled with disbelief before they took a more dazed appearance when she recalled a time when she accidentally saw Naruto in the hot springs while she was training her Byakugan…yes…training…

Hinata involuntarily giggled perversely when she remembered that Naruto was definitely not small for his age. Unfortunately Ino heard her and interpreted it as a signal of approval.

"Well…I guess I've got my answer…" Ino said, giggling, which snapped Hinata out of her daze.

"Wait Ino-chan…um…it's not what you think!" Hinata tried to protest, but Ino would have none of it.

"It is okay, Hinata-chan. What happens in your bedroom is your business, but I guess, from your reaction, Naruto must be very _special_ there," Ino said in a teasing tone.

"I'm special at what?" a new voice asked at the entrance of the kitchen.

Hinata and Minato smiled when they saw Naruto enter the kitchen dressed in his sleeveless long-coat and mesh undershirt. Hinata walked up to him and kissed him on the cheek which earned a rosy blush on both their cheeks. Naruto smiled at her, then looked down and ruffled Minato's hair.

Ino walked over to Naruto and placed her hand parallel to Naruto's head and then measured it to her own before repeating the process a couple of times. Naruto seemed to be shocked into silence at finally noticing Ino and Tenten.

"NARUTO! What have they been feeding you? You're huge!" Ino exclaimed as she looked up at Naruto.

Naruto chuckled sheepishly. "I guess I hit my growth spurt while I was away, but I'm not that tall…"

"Naruto, you are like a foot taller than when we last saw you. It's good to see you, though," Tenten said as she and Neji walked over to Naruto.

Naruto smiled at Tenten. "Hey Tenten, it's good to see you again. I see you still have your hair in those buns."

"Oh, and what is wrong with my buns?" Tenten said with a sickeningly sweet smile that made Naruto really nervous.

"Nothing, there is absolutely nothing wrong with your hair, it suits you!" Naruto said in a rushed and panicked tone.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Tenten said smugly as Neji snickered behind her.

Minato yawned loudly before curling up in Hinata's arms. "He seems to be tired," Naruto commented.

"Well, we had a fun day together," Hinata replied as she smiled fondly at Minato and ran her hand through his blond hair.

"Oh, what did you do?" Ino asked curiously.

"Nothing much, we played a couple of games and rolled a ball around that my father got for him. It was weird since I found like a lot of them piled up in a storage closet," Hinata commented as Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Hiashi-sama and Koh-san went on a spending spree when I left Minato in their care. I swear Minato-chan is going to be spoiled rotten by them," Naruto said with a slight chuckle.

"I think that is my father's way of showing he cares. He's not very expressive, both Hanabi and I know this, but we also know he cares a lot for us and Minato-chan and you, too, Naruto-kun," Hinata said with a smile.

Tenten and Ino smiled as they watched how Naruto and Hinata interacted. It was like they were already married, and both girls could see how much the couple really cared for one another.

"Well I'm glad you two are getting along so well, but, Naruto, I still have to say I'm disappointed in you for impregnating Hinata-chan. I mean didn't you think of wearing protection?" Ino asked as she put her arms on her hips.

"Ino, what are you-?" Naruto was cut off when Hinata lightly bumped his hip.

"Neji-niisan, would you take Tenten-chan and Ino-chan to the sitting area while Naruto-kun and I put Minato-chan in his crib? I don't believe this is a conversation I want Minato-chan to be near, even if he is asleep," Hinata asked, and Neji nodded his head as he led the two girls to the sitting area.

Naruto looked curiously at Hinata. "What was all that about?"

Hinata gestured Naruto to follow her as she lead him to his and Minato's room. "Naruto-kun, I don't think you're really ready to tell them the truth yet. I can see how you seem to be able to recite to a bunch of strangers without an issue, but when you told Neji-nii and me, you almost broke down. I think it would be best to let them assume for now and tell them at another time," Hinata explained as she tucked Minato into his crib and planted a kiss on his forehead.

"I don't know, Hinata-chan…I don't want to lie to our friends," Naruto said as he weighed the pros and cons in his head.

"I know, Naruto-kun, but I don't want you to get hurt. My father told me how you were more like a ninja giving a report than a victim re-experiencing his trauma, but that's not the case with people you know. I'm not saying you should hide this forever, just until you accept it yourself," Hinata pleaded as she wrapped her arms around Naruto and buried her head into his shoulder.

Naruto sighed and wrapped his arms around Hinata. "I don't know if I can ever really accept losing Kushina-chan and Uzu-chan or the pain I went through, but I will try to face it…for you and Minato-chan," Naruto whispered into her ear.

"…and yourself as well…You are always thinking of others, Naruto-kun. I think you need this for yourself the most, though," Hinata replied back.

Naruto didn't respond; he just held Hinata a little closer. The two eventually released their hug and went to the sitting area to find their guests. They found Ino sitting across from a blushing Tenten and Neji, who were sitting on the far ends of the couch as if trying to avoid each other, but they were sneaking glances when the other wasn't looking, much to Ino's amusement.

"Do I even want to know?" Naruto asked rhetorically since he knew Ino was going to tell them anyways.

"Oh, this? I just happened to overhear Tenten say she thought Minato-chan was so cute because of his eyes, and I just mentioned that her kids would have those eyes as well if she hooked up with Neji," Ino said innocently.

Neji cleared his throat as Tenten looked at her feet. "I believe you were interrogating Naruto, not discussing our love life, Ino-san," Neji said as he tried to deflect Ino's attention.

"Who was talking about your love life, Neji-san? I was speaking hypothetically…unless you two are seeing each other in secret!" Ino said gleefully which caused Naruto and Hinata to burst out laughing.

Ino laughed, too, but then she locked her crosshairs onto Naruto and Hinata. "So…what were you two gonna say from before?" Ino asked.

"W-well um…what happened was that I found Naruto-kun in a random village, and we went to a bar…" Hinata stuttered as she lied but Ino believed it since Hinata usually stuttered when nervous. Neji raised an eyebrow but didn't comment on Hinata's lie.

"Well one thing led to another and yeah…" Naruto said lamely and rubbed his neck nervously.

Ino examined both of them for a while before asking, "So when did you find out about this, Naruto?"

"He just found out recently since I sent him a letter. He ended his training trip back early to be here for me and um…we…well, you know the rest," Hinata said as she fidgeted a bit.

Ino sighed but didn't say anything else about that subject. "Well I'm glad for you two, but what are you going to do about the rest of the village knowing?"

"We'll handle that together when the time comes…" Hinata said as she grabbed Naruto's hand.

"Well, I'm glad to see you two again, but Neji-kun and I are really late for our team meeting, so we should go. Should we tell Lee-kun that you guys are back in the village?" Tenten asked as she and Neji rose from the couch.

"You might as well tell him. He'll probably hear from someone else eventually as well as our other friends," Naruto said.

"Great, well, we'll be back after training. I need to see my nephew Minato again," Tenten said with a wink.

"I didn't know you were engaged to Neji, Tenten," Naruto blurted out instantly.

"I AM NOT ENGAGED TO ANYONE!" Tenten screamed as she finally had enough of everyone teasing her.

"Okay, okay! We get it, it was just a joke, Tenten!" Naruto said as he tried to placate the enraged weapon mistress.

Neji decided to save Naruto's hide this time by interjecting, "Hmph, I didn't know that being married to me would be so repulsive to you, Tenten-chan," in a faux hurt tone as he walked out.

"Wait, Neji! I didn't mean it that way! Wait one sec!" Tenten ran after the Hyuga who gave Naruto a "you-owe-me" look.

The remaining teens laughed a bit before Hinata and Naruto turned to Ino. "What are your plans for the rest of the day, Ino-chan?" Hinata asked kindly.

"She's _supposed_ to be working at the flower shop," a deep voice replied before Ino could answer.

Ino paled when she saw her father looking at her with a raised eyebrow. "Daddy! What are you doing here?" Ino asked.

"I could ask you the same, Princess. I told you I was meeting a client at the Hyuga Compound. Now it is my turn to ask a question. Who is watching the shop?" Inoichi replied as he crossed his arms.

"Umm well you see…um…" Ino stuttered nervously.

Inoichi sighed before he walked over to his daughter and placed his arm on her shoulder. "Let's go, Ino. You will have to work through your shift to make up for the hours you missed."

"Okay, Daddy. Later, Hinata, Naruto," Ino replied sullenly as the Yamanakas walked out.

"Well…this was an interesting day," Naruto finally commented now that he and Hinata were finally alone.

"It's always an interesting day with you around, Naruto-kun," Hinata replied as she snuggled up to Naruto, who was seated on the couch.

Before the two could finally lean back and relax, two Hyuga women came rushing up to them with more than a couple of handfuls of bags.

"These are for you, Naruto-san, and Minato-chan, Hinata-sama," Ukina and Uwasa babbled at the same time.

Naruto and Hinata just groaned in exasperation…

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><p><strong>Chapter End<strong>

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><p><strong>AN I'm gonna spare you guys a sob story of why this took so long to get out, but I really appreciate your patience with me because I know how unreasonable I've been for making you for so long. I really enjoying writing this story and I'm very glad you guys are enjoying it too. That being said, I never really want to rush my work because I'd rather give you a very good and solid update that is a month late rather than a plot-hole-filled mess in like a week. To those who still follow this story or any of my others, I am very thankful and I will promise to continue to give you the best I can offer.**

**This chapter was beta'd by hinatasgreatestfan.**

**Please leave review! Share your thoughts, ideas, concerns, or suggestions. I always read what you guys say.**

**btw, my birthday is the 18th of April which is coming up and I plan to have an update by then so keep an eye out for it ;)  
><strong>


	12. Chapter 12

**iDisclaimer**: "I don't own _Naruto_

"Normal"

"_Thoughts"_

"**YELLING or JUTSUS**"

**"Demon talk**"

"_**Demon Thoughts**_"

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><p><em><strong>Father to a Blond Hyuga<strong>_

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 12<strong>_

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><p><strong>Hyuga Compound<strong>

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><p>Naruto and Hinata slumped back against each other on the couch after Ukina and Uwasa left. They were surrounded by twenty or so bags of different items for Minato.<p>

"Geez, I thought Hiashi-sama spoiled Minato-chan too much…" Naruto joked as he looked at an orange baby T-shirt with a black Uzumaki swirl.

Hinata looked up from where she was sitting and looked at the shirt Naruto was holding. "Well, at least they have good taste," Hinata said with a smile.

Naruto smiled too before folding the shirt and tucking back into its bag. "Who were those two anyways, Hinata-chan? I think I've only seen them once or twice around."

Hinata frowned a bit when she thought about the twin sisters. She actually got along well with them and they usually were on good terms, but Hinata noticed that their gazes seemed to linger on Naruto a bit longer than she would have liked…

"Oi Hinata-chan, you still there?" Naruto asked as he waved his hand in front of Hinata.

Hinata blushed before playfully swatting Naruto's hand. "Sorry, I was just thinking about something…" Hinata mumbled.

"What were you thinking about?" Naruto asked and tilted his head slightly.

"It's nothing important!" Hinata hastily responded. She didn't want Naruto to think she was some overbearing girlfriend who was paranoid about every girl around him.

"Hmm..." Naruto narrowed his eyes but shrugged nonchalantly. He figured Hinata would tell him if it was important.

"Dinner should be ready soon, Naruto-kun. Let's bring these bags to your room and get Minato-chan. He'll probably wake up soon, and he'll be hungry I bet," Hinata replied as she grabbed a handful of bags.

Naruto nodded before he grabbed the remaining bags and walked to his room. The young couple arrived just in time to see Minato waking up from his nap.

"Hey, little guy, did you sleep well?" Naruto asked as he scooped Minato up and twirled him around.

Minato giggled and squealed with joy as he spread his arms as if they were wings while his father made the "swooshing" noises. Hinata laughed lightly as she watched father and son interact. She could see all the love and pride Naruto had for Minato. She felt her own maternal pride and love bubble up in her when she looked at Minato. It was odd for her to feel this way about someone she had barely known, but the moment she touched Minato, she knew he was her son and he belonged to her and Naruto.

As much as she hated to ruin this father-son moment, she knew that her father didn't like when people were late for dinner. She walked up to Naruto and Minato and placed her hand on his shoulder to get his attention. Naruto turned to her with his heart-melting smile that made her knees weak. No words needed to be said as both seemed to understand what the other was saying with just their eyes. Naruto sighed before repositioning Minato in his left arm and interlocking his right hand with Hinata's.

The young family walked to the dining room where Hiashi, Hanabi, and Neji sat, waiting patiently for them. Hiashi's and Neji's face were impassive, but Hanabi's had thinly veiled irritation.

"I'm glad you two finally decided to join us, Nee-chan and Nii-san," Hanabi said sarcastically.

"Nii-san?" both Hinata and Naruto parroted.

Hanabi just shrugged her shoulders, "Well you two have a kid together and most of the clan believe that you two are betrothed so you'll be my Nii-san eventually."

Hanabi smirked as she watched both Naruto and Hinata blush a rosy red hue. Everyone's attention snapped towards Hiashi as he cleared his throat.

"Hanabi, do not tease your sister and her betrothed at the dinner table," Hiashi commanded as both Naruto and Hinata breathed a sigh of relief while Hanabi pouted.

"However, you may proceed to do so during your free time as I have no intention of dictating your personal time," Hiashi continued with a slight smirk.

It took a second for Hanabi to process what her father said, but she soon realized her father gave her full rights to torment Naruto and Hinata to her heart's content. She couldn't contain a sadistic smirk that would have made Anko Mitarashi proud.

"I can imagine all the _**fun **_we're going to have later," Hanabi said before cackling evilly, much to Naruto and Hinata's dismay.

"No evil laughter at the dinner table, Hanabi!" Hiashi scolded.

"Sorry, Father…" Hanabi mumbled.

"Does this happen often?" Naruto whispered to Hinata.

"It happens more often than you would think…I think it all started when Hanabi started hanging around Konohamaru-san…" Hinata finished.

Naruto groaned, thinking this was somehow his fault. After all, he had "corrupted the honorable grandson" as Ebisu stated the first time they had met.

"So I heard that you two caused quite the commotion this morning," Hiashi stated as he took a sip of his drink.

Hinata and Naruto both paled thinking he was talking about the bed incident. "We can explain! She was still fully dressed and nothing happened! We just slept together!" Naruto said in a jumbled panicky voice.

Hiashi merely raised an eyebrow. "I was talking about the fight you and Neji got into this morning. The servants weren't very forthcoming about why you were fighting. Now I know why, though I wish I didn't."

"…I'll shut up now…" Naruto muttered as he tried to make himself as small as possible in his seat. Hinata was blushing up a storm and looking at her fiddling hands in her lap.

"I like having Naruto here. It's never boring when he's around," Hanabi said with a large grin on her face.

Neji just rolled his eyes, but the tiny smirk on his face was enough to tell her he agreed.

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><p><strong>Hyuga Compound: Evening<strong>

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><p>Hiashi had just finished his paperwork for the day as he recalled his interesting dinner with his family. He wasn't angry at Naruto or Hinata. That didn't mean he couldn't have his fun yanking their chains around. Now he knew why his mother loved to tease him and his beloved Hitomi whenever she got the chance. It <span>was<span> quite entertaining. They made it too easy sometimes. A knock on his door alerted him to someone entering his office.

"Good evening, Hiashi-kun, I see you finished your paperwork for the day," Hisaki Hyuga commented as she sat across from her son.

"I have indeed, Mother; may I ask what this impromptu meeting is about?" Hiashi asked with a raised brow.

"Can't a mother check up on her own son?" Hisaki challenged back. Seeing that her son wasn't falling for the bait, Hisaki sighed. "I wanted to inform you on the general feeling around the council."

"Is it something I should be concerned about?" Hiashi asked but was relieved when Hisaki shook her head.

"It would seem young Naruto's attitude is winning over more of the elders every day. There are some that are set deep in their own traditions and still dislike what the boy represents, but I think the majority find him to be refreshing while the Branch House sees to adore him as he treats them all equally and fairly," Hisaki said with a slight smile.

"He is a remarkable young man. He's endured more than any teenager should in a life time, but he still perseveres. It still surprises me that my daughter was the one who saw the potential he really had while everyone else casted him aside," Hiashi replied as he thought of the blond young man and his daughter.

"They make quite the couple, those two. I haven't seen my granddaughter this happy in ages. They remind me of you and Hitomi," Hisaki said as she gazed at the family photo on Hiashi's desk.

"They still have a long and tough path ahead of them. You mentioned how some traditionalists are still opposed to Naruto, and I have a feeling they won't simply fade into the shadows. Norio came here earlier. He ranted about how our 'honor' has been tarnished since the rest of the village thinks out heiress has had a child out of wedlock. When I asked him how he knew this, apparently his son, Keisho, told him. I have no doubt that he set this up, though I'm not sure if this was his son's own initiative or if he was being instructed by his father," Hiashi said as he glared down at the papers lying on his desk.

"Those two will be a thorn in our sides for a while unless we do something about them. Unfortunately, there is nothing that we can do at the moment, so we'll just have to wait," Hisaki huffed in annoyance.

"They will slip up eventually. We just have to be patient. I won't allow them to endanger my family and that includes Naruto now and my grandson Minato," Hiashi declared vehemently.

Hisaki smiled and patted her son on his shoulder. "You won't be alone, son. Hinata has grown into a strong, beautiful woman and she has the fierceness Hitomi possessed along with her grace. I will also do my part to protect my family."

"Thank you, Mother. I feel troubling times are coming upon us," Hiashi said with a sigh.

"We'll be ready, son. We'll be ready…" Hisaki stated as she walked out Hiashi's office.

On the other side of the compound, Naruto and Hinata were sitting across from Neji while Hanabi played with Minato in the living room. Hanabi was gently rolling one of Minato's inflatable balls to him and the baby would roll it back to her.

"So what are you planning to do now that the rest of the village knows about Minato?" Neji asked with a hint of concern. He may have not shown it yet, but Neji cared for his nephew's wellbeing as much as Hiashi, Hanabi, Hinata, and Naruto did.

"We'll deal with it when the time comes, but I won't let any of those villagers hurt my son!" Hinata said as she unconsciously squeezed Naruto's hand to death.

"Ouch! I love this protective side of you, Hinata-chan, but you're crushing my hand!" Naruto winced when he thought he heard something crack.

Hinata quickly let go of Naruto's hand and blushed in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Naruto-kun. It's just the thought of someone hurting you or Minato makes me so angry."

Naruto smiled at her and pulled her into a tight hug. "It's okay, Hime. I'm actually very touched that you feel that strongly about us."

Hinata's blush intensified, but she had a large grin on her face as she hugged back. Neji looked at the couple with a bemused expression. Sure, he was happy that they had each other, but it was still odd trying not to be protective over his little-sister figure. He thought about it a little more before an orange squeaky ball bounced off his face. He looked over at Hanabi and Minato who were both giggling and looking at him. Hanabi froze when Neji glared at her but then pointed her finger at Minato in an accusatory manner. Minato, not fully understanding what was going on, raised his chubby arm and pointed a tiny finger at Hanabi as he mirrored his aunt's innocent expression.

Neji couldn't stop his eyebrow from twitching as he looked at the infant and the infant-at-heart. He was about to say something when both Naruto and Hinata started chuckling at him.

"I'm sure it was an accident, Neji. Besides, it's not like a tiny toy could take down the mighty Gentle Fist genius of the Hyuga Clan," Naruto mocked.

"You are right about it taking more than a toy to take me down, Naruto. How about we have a spar to demonstrate how much we have grown since the Chunin exams? I have always wanted a rematch since that fateful day," Neji replied with well-hidden anticipation.

"I thought I had beaten all the fate out of you that day," Naruto joked before smiling. "A spar actually sounds really fun. I haven't been able to do any full training since I came back and I'm itching to get back into my training regimen."

"I look forward to it, Naruto, but I must excuse myself as it is late, and I wish to rest up before our spar," Neji replied before he bowed and walked out the living room.

"Sleep actually sounds like a good idea to me as well. The little guy here is starting to nod off, too," Hanabi said as she lifted the sleepy Minato into her arms.

Hinata sat up and took Minato from Hanabi. Hanabi bade her sister a goodnight but had to throw one more poke at Hinata and Naruto, "Don't get too frisky tonight; the walls aren't as thick as you would think…"

"Hanabi!" a blushing Naruto and Hinata quietly hissed at the same time. They couldn't yell or else they might have woken the sleeping Minato.

"You guys are too easy…" Hanabi said with a final laugh as she walked off towards her room.

There was an awkward silence between Naruto and Hinata as they stood in the middle of the room with a sleeping Minato in Hinata's arms.

"So…" Naruto started lamely.

"Um…" Hinata knew what she wanted to ask, but she couldn't really process the words from her brain to her mouth without being embarrassed.

"Well…I think you should stay in my room…Wait! No, not like that! I mean, um, we should sleep together, ARGH! NO! I mean just sleep…like nothing that will cause Hiashi to kill me! Just resting, yeah, resting!" Naruto started to ramble how he wasn't a pervert and so on.

Hinata couldn't help the giggles from escaping her throat. Naruto was too cute when he was flustered.

"I understand, Naruto-kun. I was going to ask if it was okay for me to sleepover. I probably would have come over later tonight anyways if Minato-chan started acting up…" Hinata admitted with a blush.

"Oh…well, then…let's go…" Naruto weakly said as he was still reeling from his embarrassment. Hinata giggled again and placed her free hand in his. She never thought she would be the bold one and Naruto the shy one in their relationship, but then again she didn't expect to be caring for her son before she was even out of her teens. Life was weird like that…

They walked in a companionable silence towards their room. Nothing needed to be said as they each just enjoyed the other's presence. They soon arrived to Naruto's room and Hinata went to her room to change. Naruto gently placed Minato down in his crib while smiling softly at his son…

His son… it still seemed surreal to him that this was his child. He was so small and innocent. He briefly wondered if he himself once looked like that, but he banished any thoughts of his past since it brought up too many bad memories. He promised himself silently that his son would never have to endure what he had to, if he could help it.

Naruto shook himself out of his little daydream and remembered he still needed to put on his pajamas. He undressed to his boxers and pulled his shirt halfway up his torso when he heard an embarrassed "eep" from behind him. Naruto spun around on his heels and looked through the neck hole of his shirt to see Hinata blushing up a storm while staring at his half-naked form. Before he could say a word, Hinata's eyes rolled to the back of her head and she started to collapse.

Naruto panicked and tried to catch her, but his arms were still in sleeves so instead of catching her, Naruto collided with her and they both crashed into the ground with a loud thump. Naruto groaned as he noticed that Hinata was passed out on top of him and their limbs were inter-tangled. Somehow, Hinata's arms got looped into his shirt sleeves.

Naruto sighed as he assessed the mess he was in. "Ugh, I don't think this can get any worse."

It was like the gods were conspiring against Naruto that evening as both Neji and Hiashi walked into his room.

"We heard a loud noise and came to investiga- " Hiashi paused as he took in the scene in front of him. Neji was openly gaping in a way that Naruto would have found funny if his life wasn't in peril…

"Um…yeah so…this is not what it looks like." Naruto's voice was a bit muffled since his shirt was wrapped around his mouth.

"Mmm, Naru-kun is so warm…" Hinata muttered in her sleep as she rubbed her head across Naruto's chest.

There was an awkward silence with Naruto and Hiashi staring blankly at each other while Neji looked back and forth between them. Finally, Hiashi broke their mini stare-down.

"I'm getting too old for this shit…" Hiashi rubbed his temple before walking out of the room with a baffled Neji.

"Oi…aren't you guys going to help me?" Naruto yelled out, but was only met with silence in return.

* * *

><p><strong>The Next Day: Main Street to the Hokage Tower<strong>

* * *

><p>"Have you heard?"<p>

"Honestly, who hasn't?"

"It's disgraceful, I say. I can't believe she bedded with a demon!"

"The clan must be so ashamed of their heiress. I wouldn't be surprised if they expelled her for consorting with that beast …"

"You're all full of shit, you know that?"

"I agree. The boy has proven he only wants to protect this village time and time again. His kid has got to be the cutest baby I've ever seen and I only got a glimpse when he walked through the gates."

"He's probably another demon in human skin!"

"Tch, believe what you want, just know that if you continue this narrow-minded thinking, you'll turn the boy into a self-fulfilling prophecy, and we shinobi won't be a part of that. So go ahead and dig your own graves. Kotetsu, Izumo, we're leaving. We got to meet up with Aoba and Raido and I can't stand being in these _people's_ presences any longer," Genma called out as he took his signature senbon out of his mouth to spit on the ground in front of the gossiping civilians.

The three shinobi left the baffled civilians as they made their way towards the Hokage tower. Usually they would leave the civilians to discuss whatever they want, but all three were in a bad mood after hearing the same shit over and over again for at least a day now.

Most of the shinobi actually respected Naruto for all that he had done and most welcomed him to their ranks. Konoha shinobi had always prided themselves on watching each other's backs. Thus, it irked them when one of their own was insulted. It was an unwritten rule that Konoha ninja would defend their own when their personal lives were exposed and gossiped about. Naruto was a part of their community, so they felt the need to stand up for him since they were sure as hell that Naruto would stand up for them.

"Oh shit…" Izumo muttered and was deathly pale.

"What's wrong with you?" Kotetsu asked his partner.

"Kurenai and Kakashi just got back from their mission…and Kurenai looks pissed," Izumo said as he pointed at the red-eyed Kunoichi.

"Well…fuck…I wonder who I should feel sorry for more right now, Kakashi or Naruto…" Genma said as he wiped his forehead with his sleeve.

Another unwritten rule of the shinobi code was to let shinobi settle their personal problems on their own…with that thought in mind, the three shinobi bolted in the opposite direction of the enraged kunoichi and the lazy Jonin.

Kurenai was not having a good day. The Akatsuki scouting mission she and Kakashi were assigned to turned out to be a false lead and her comrade kept giggling like a five-year-old as he read his perverted book, and, upon arriving back at the village, she and Kakashi were assaulted by rumors that his student had impregnated her student! She wanted to place every idiot who insulted her student in the most horrible Genjutsu possible, but she had to remain professional. Thankfully, Kakashi stopped reading his book and actually looked seriously annoyed by some of the civilians' conversations like she was.

"Kurenai, we should talk to the Hokage before we jump to any conclusions. This is pretty unsettling, but there is no reason to assume anything right now," Kakashi said in a serious tone.

Kurenai nodded slowly before sighing and asking, "Do you think it's true?"

Kakashi gave her his signature eye-smile. "I can't say for sure. Naruto has done some boneheaded things in the past," he said with a chuckle.

"That's very reassuring…" Kurenai muttered as she and Kakashi entered.

* * *

><p><strong>Hokage's Tower: Hokage's Chamber<strong>

* * *

><p>"Damn that brat…he gets to live in the lap of luxury while I have to do all this paperwork…" Tsunade muttered as she scanned through another tedious document.<p>

"…and he doesn't even bring me my grandson…I should punch him through a wall for just that…grrrrrr…THAT'S IT!" Tsunade shouted as she stood up and marched out of her office.

"Tsunade-sama, where are you going?" a startled Shizune asked as her mentor stormed by.

"I'm going to see my grandson, and that baka of a father he has!" Tsunade yelled over her shoulder.

Shizune sprinted after her rampaging mentor. "Tsunade-sama, you can't leave! You have a meeting with the Elders scheduled for today!"

"Screw'em, I haven't seen my grandson in a week! Naruto is obviously trying to keep him away from me! Plus, I can write this off as a medical visit since Naruto is still my patient." Tsunade paused for a second. "Also, if those old crones keel over while waiting…all the better for me then."

"Tsunade-sama, that's a horrible thing to say!" Shizune reprimanded but sighed when she got an eye-roll in return. She decided to accompany her mentor since she too wanted to see Minato-chan but had to at least voice the responsibilities that Tsunade was pushing aside.

They were about to step out of the tower when Kakashi and Kurenai appeared in front of them.

"Aww crap…I forgot about you two…" Tsunade said as she rubbed her temple.

"Tsunade-sama, we've been hearing some…interesting rumors since our return. Oh, and our mission was another false lead," Kakashi said.

"Damn, well there is nothing to do about the mission, but as for the rumors…there is a lot to explain," Tsunade said with a sigh as she turned around and headed to her office. She wasn't going to discuss something this important out in the open.

As soon as all four occupants were in the room, Tsunade activated the privacy seals located around her office.

"Okay, well, first off, I guess you should know, Naruto and Hinata have a child together," Tsunade started as she took her seat.

Kurenai was radiating unfocused killing intent that made Kakashi nervous for not only his own wellbeing but also, more importantly, the life of his precious book! Err, student…yeah…no, his book was a closer target than Naruto, so the book took precedence.

"Kurenai, it's not really Naruto's fault. I blame Jiraiya for this mess more than anything…" Tsunade said with a frown as she still couldn't fathom how careless Jiraiya had been with Naruto's life.

Kakashi couldn't contain a few perverted giggles while Kurenai's killing intent seemed to be rising, but now it was more focused on a certain white-haired pervert who felt a shiver run down his spine even though he was miles away from Konoha.

Tsunade realized the blunder of her statement and cleared her throat to gain the enraged kunoichi's attention. "Kurenai, I know this is going to sound confusing, but Naruto and Hinata haven't had sex…"

All of Kurenai's anger was replaced with confusion. She looked over at Kakashi who seemed to be equally confused.

Tsunade sighed, "Shizune, bring in some sake. This is going to be a long conversation…"

"But, Tsunade-sama, it's only ten o'clock in the morning!" Shizune exclaimed.

"Hmm, you're right…go get the heavy-duty stuff then…" Tsunade replied as she started to explain the events that happened during Naruto's training trip.

* * *

><p><strong>Hyuga Compound<strong>

* * *

><p>Naruto stared across at his opponent. His face surprisingly showed no emotion as he gripped his weapons in his hands. His cerulean blue eyes stared into white orbs that stared back defiantly.<p>

Naruto's brow twitched a bit when he thought he saw a ghost of a smirk appear on his face. He remembered seeing that smirk before. It was the same one his opponent of three years ago had worn when they faced off in the Chunin Exams.

Naruto's eyes narrowed in determination. That battle was three years ago, and it was one of the toughest fights he had ever fought. This one shouldn't be that hard, but he didn't want to get overconfident. His opponent's eyes narrowed too in a challenging manner.

Well, if it was a challenge he wanted, Naruto was going to give it to him.

Naruto swiftly jabbed his weapon towards his opponent's face, but the opponent dodged nimbly and swatted Naruto's arm away from him. Naruto retracted his arm before glaring at his opponent, who glared back with the same intensity.

Naruto tried again with another quick strike, but with his left hand this time. His opponent was not fooled as he dodged the attack and countered with a couple of quick strikes towards Naruto's exposed wrist.

Naruto recoiled as he rubbed his numb wrist. Naruto rolled his wrist around a couple of times to get the feeling back in his hand. He started to circle around his opponent like a wolf circling his prey. Not once did that Hyuga smirk leave his opponent's face, and it was getting on Naruto's nerves.

Naruto charged in once again, but his opponent was ready as he swatted Naruto's hands. Naruto's eyes widened as the contents of the jar he was holding went flying up into the air…

Splat.

"Minato-chan! That wasn't very nice! I know you don't like veggies, but your mom is making me feed it to you," Naruto whined as he wiped the vegetable mush out of his hair as Minato giggled and looked unrepentant.

"Watch it, little guy, you're on thin ice," Naruto said as he glared at Minato.

Minato stared back at him before taking some mush that landed on his baby seat tray and threw it in Naruto's face. Naruto wiped the mush out of his face before smirking.

"Challenge Accepted," Naruto said as he flicked some mush onto Minato's face. Minato squealed with joy and started flinging the tasteless mush in every direction. Their mini food fight was broken up when someone cleared their throat.

Naruto looked up but was hit one last time by Minato who was nearly covered in his breakfast. He paled a bit when he noticed Hinata glaring at him.

"Oh shi…cra…poo…" Naruto muttered to himself.

"Naruto-kun…what happened here?" Hinata said in a sickly sweet tone.

Naruto was nervous since he knew he was in a bind. "Umm, he didn't want to eat…"

Hinata raised an eyebrow at his statement. "I can see that…"

Naruto laughed nervously while rubbing the back of his head which was actually a bad idea since it caused the mush in his hair to scatter all around.

"…Just go take a shower, we'll talk about this later," Hinata said with a sigh. She wasn't in a good mood since she found the awkward position she had woken up in and she was mortified that her father saw her on top of Naruto like that.

"Yes, ma'am," Naruto squeaked as he bolted to the closest bathroom while leaving a trail of mush in his wake.

Hinata sighed again, but smiled anyways. This was her Naruto and she wouldn't change him for anything. She turned her attention to her son, who was still playing around with the discarded spoon and giggling like there was nothing wrong.

"I see you have a little prankster spirit in you like your father, Minato-chan. Still, that wasn't very nice," Hinata said in an exaggerated disappointed tone.

The little baby saw his mother pouting at him with her brows furrowed and whined sadly knowing he was in trouble.

"Don't use that tone with me, mister, you got daddy in big trouble. Now you have to be punished!" Hinata exclaimed as she started tickling Minato's sides.

Minato started laughing uncontrollably and tried to swat Hinata's hands away, but she was too quick. After another minute, Hinata finally stopped and lifted her dirty baby out of his booster seat and walked towards the sink. She filled the large stainless steel kitchen sink up with warm water before she gently placed Minato in it and scrubbed the mush out of his hair.

"I get the feeling that your hair will be just as an unruly as your father's," Hinata muttered as Minato's blond locks kept poking in every direction even though his hair was damped by the water.

"Dah!" Minato said as he lightly splashed the water.

"Close your eyes, Sweetie. I don't want the soap to get into them," Hinata said gently as she massaged some soap into Minato's locks. Apparently this wasn't Naruto and Minato's first food fight as the kitchen staff started leaving body wash and shampoo under the sink counter.

Minato did as he was told but giggled when Hinata poked him in the belly. Hinata rinsed out his hair before picking him up and drying him off on the counter. She carried him to Naruto's room and picked out a white short-sleeve shirt and blue overalls for Minato to wear.

"Are you ready to see grandpa? You'll be spending time with him while mommy and daddy spar with your auntie and uncle," Hinata cooed as she tickled his tiny feet.

Hinata turned to the sound of the door opening. Naruto walked in slightly wet with only a towel wrapped around his waist and on his shoulders. Hinata's eyes raked over his chiseled torso with hungry eyes as blood started to leak from her nose. Realizing she was just checking Naruto out unabashedly, Hinata ran out of the room and into her room before she embarrassed herself anymore…and to take a long cold shower.

Minato watched the odd behavior of his parents before crossing his tiny arms and puffing his cheeks while glaring at Naruto. It was obviously his fault somehow…

"Oi, that wasn't my fault! I shouldn't have to knock to make sure someone isn't in my own room," Naruto huffed indignantly.

* * *

><p><strong>Hokage Tower: Hokage Chamber<strong>

* * *

><p>"…and that's the full story…Hiashi has allowed him to live with the Hyuga and Hinata returned from her mission a few days ago so I'm sure she knows as well," Tsunade finished as she stared at the sake in her cup.<p>

Both Kurenai and Kakashi seemed horrified with what Naruto had to endure, but Kakashi took it the worst since it was his student. He slumped down into his chair and held his head in his palms.

"This is partly my fault, too. I should have trained him better instead of focusing on Sasuke so much…Naruto always absorbed information like a sponge. If I had just paid more attention, he might have been able to hold them off long enough for Jiraiya to find him…" Kakashi mumbled.

"Kakashi, you couldn't have known this was going to happen. I authorized his training trip because I thought Jiraiya would be enough to protect him. I was obviously wrong, but we can't dwell on what ifs. Naruto is alive…that's the important thing right now. He's damaged, but he's still alive, and he's got a new reason to live and fight with his son," Tsunade finished as she looked into Kakashi's one visible eye.

"Tsunade-sama, you never did tell us Naruto's son's name," Kurenai pointed out. She had been quiet up until this point since she was still absorbing what she had been told.

Tsunade smiled a bit as she thought of Minato. "Kakashi, Naruto knows about his parents…both of them. He named his son after his father."

Kakashi's eye widened in shock, "He knows? Who told him?"

Kurenai looked confused and slightly put off that she was being excluded from the conversation. "Who? Who were Naruto's parents? Were they important?"

Tsunade had an amused smirk on her face due to Kurenai's question. "Yes, they were both important. I'm surprised many haven't actually seen the resemblance between Naruto and his father. Kurenai, I'm going to reveal to you one of the closest guarded secrets in Konoha, mostly because it won't be a secret much longer. Kakashi already knew this since he knew Naruto's father very well."

"Are you sure about this, Tsunade-sama?" Kakashi asked tentatively.

Tsunade nodded gravely, "I am… if Kumo already knows about Naruto's heritage, then it's only a matter of time before the rest of the nations hear as well. Not to mention that Naruto will be taking his father's name when he turns 16. Kurenai, Naruto's mother was Kushina Uzumaki and his father was Minato Namikaze, our Yondaime Hokage."

Kurenai seemed to freeze up once the words slipped past Tsunade's lips. She looked over to Kakashi to confirm what Tsunade said. Kakashi nodded grimly, showing that he and Tsunade were serious. She had to admit that Naruto did look a bit like the Yondaime when he was younger. She hadn't seen him since he returned so who knows how much more similar he could be now.

"…but why would he use his own son to seal the Kyubi…?" Kurenai muttered as she tried to piece together all the pieces of the puzzle that was Naruto Uzumaki.

Kakashi decided to answer Kurenai seeing as he knew Minato better than Tsunade did. "Minato-sensei could never ask another family to hold this burden. His first rule was to never send someone on a mission that you weren't willing to do yourself. I believe he had faith in Naruto since Naruto was his son."

Tsunade hummed in agreement while Kurenai had one more question to ask: "Well, with all that has happened, shouldn't we confront Kumo about this? Abducting and torturing a shinobi during times of peace is a basically a declaration of war."

Tsunade sighed and leaned back against her chair. "While you are correct that such a heinous act should lead to consequences, we don't have enough proof against Kumo besides Naruto's word. While that would be enough for me and a handful of people, the word of one jinchuriki won't sway many on the council board.

"The civilians would be reluctant because their wares would have to go to the war effort rather than for profit not to mention most of their trade with foreign nations would likely be placed on hold until the war was over. The older shinobi have seen enough war and death in the previous 3 shinobi wars and I highly doubt they would be willing to jump into another war. I can only think of Danzo who would be willing to go to war but only to 'show the strength of the Leaf', not because of what happened to Naruto."

Tsunade stood up and stared out the window overlooking the village for a couple of seconds before continuing, "Without any proof, there isn't much we can do against Kumo besides enforcing a few embargoes and guarding our border around Lightning country better. That's why I sent Jiraiya back to the hidden lab to see if he can find anything useful. Hopefully he can find something in the rubble, but it's a long shot at best."

Kurenai sighed, "It just doesn't seem fair. Naruto deserves some justice for this."

Kakashi laughed mirthlessly. "Naruto's life has been one giant injustice, Kurenai. He deserves justice for more than this one incident, but Naruto is strong. He's endured through pain and suffering that would break any other man. He's a survivor, and he'll continue to be one because he's Konoha's number one unpredictable shinobi, and I wouldn't change him even if I had the chance."

Tsunade smiled as she faced the two Jonin. "I feel the same way, Kakashi. Now that this impromptu meeting is over, I'm going to go check on the blond gaki and his mini-me. Would you like to join me?"

Both Jonin nodded while Shizune nodded as well. The group of four all shunshined towards the Hyuga Compound just as the door opened. Homura and Koharu were confused as to why the room was empty.

"Maybe she went to lunch?" Homura suggested as Koharu just shrugged in response.

* * *

><p><strong>Hyuga Compound: Hiashi's Office<strong>

* * *

><p>"Father, may I enter?" Hinata asked after knocking on the door. She was wearing her standard dark blue training pants and lavender coat. In her arm was the bubbly Minato, who had just woken up from his nap.<p>

"Yes, Hinata, you may enter," Hiashi's voice came from behind the large mahogany door.

Hinata pushed the door open and saw her father reading another document from a large pile before placing it into a larger pile. He looked up and smiled slightly at the sight of his daughter and grandson.

"Hello, Father, you said you would watch Minato-chan while Naruto and I spar," Hinata said as she bowed in greeting to her father. Minato just waved happily at Hiashi which caused him to chuckle a bit.

"Yes, I believe I had agreed to watch my grandson. Leave him here, and I'll find him something to do while I try to finish this paperwork." Hiashi's smile turned to a frown at the mention of paperwork.

"Father, why don't you use shadow clones to do it? I've seen Naruto-kun use his clones to do trivial things like picking up ramen, so why can't you use them to do your paperwork?" Hinata asked curiously.

Hiashi paled as he realized he could have been skipping a lifetime worth of paperwork if he used clones, but then he blushed and looked a little ashamed. "While that would make this much easier, I don't actually know how to perform a kage bunshin. As you know, it is usually frowned upon to deviate away from the teachings of the Gentle Fist."

"Why not just ask Naruto-kun then? I'm sure the kage bunshin would complement the Gentle Fist rather than hindering it," Hinata asked, not realizing how much of a blow that would be to Hiashi's pride. Hiashi was a proud man who never asked anyone for help before! He had a reputation to keep up after all.

"…I'll consider it…" Hiashi said after a couple seconds of weighing the pros and cons.

"_Screw pride, if I can get away with not doing paperwork ever again, then it'll be worth having to owe Naruto a favor or two,"_ Hiashi thought.

"Okay, well Minato-chan has already eaten and taken a nap. Thank you for watching over him, Father," Hinata said as she kissed Minato's forehead and started to walk out of the office.

As soon as Hinata left, Minato started to play with Hiashi's desk pendulum. He watched in awe as the balls collided and transferred the momentum to the ball at the end. Hiashi was able to complete two more documents before pausing.

He spent a lot of his children's childhood cooped up in this office while doing paperwork. When Hanabi and Hinata needed a father, he was too busy with clan affairs, and now he was doing the same thing again.

He looked over at Minato and scooped him into his arms. Minato looked at him curiously and Hiashi smiled a bit. "Would you like to see your other grandparents when they were younger?" Hiashi asked as he pulled out an old photo album and took a seat on his couch with the book on his lap and Minato by his side.

Hiashi showed Minato various pictures of Kushina, Minato Sr., his wife, Hitomi, Hizashi, and himself when they were younger. Hiashi would reminisce about pranks Kushina would pull and even if Minato didn't fully understand them, he would laugh and giggle anyways.

"…Kushina and Hitomi usually joked how they would play matchmaker with our kids and spoil our grandchildren rotten. I guess that's one reason I 'spoil you silly' as your father says. I'm trying to make up for four people," Hiashi said as he ruffled Minato's hair.

Hiashi looked up as someone knocked on his door. "Hiashi-sama, the Hokage, her assistant, Hinata-sama's Jonin instructor, and Naruto-sama's Jonin instructor are here to see you," one of Hiashi's guards alerted him.

Hiashi sighed; he was enjoying his stroll down memory lane with his grandson, but duty called. "Let them enter."

The small group entered Hiashi's office. Kurenai raised an eyebrow as she noticed that Hiashi seemed a lot calmer and, dare she say it, happier. Was this really the same man that said his daughter was no use to him all those years back?

"Hokage-sama, it is an honor to greet you in my household. May I ask what this unexpected meeting is about?" Hiashi asked as he placed the photo album back into his desk.

"Just checking on our favorite gaki and making sure he hasn't turned this place upside down yet," Tsunade said as she walked into Hiashi's office.

Kakashi seemed to be frozen as he looked at Minato. It was no wonder why Naruto named Minato after his father since the baby looked like a replica of the past Hokage.

"I can assure that Naruto has been a…refreshing…change to our home," Hiashi said with a smirk.

Tsunade snorted in amusement but did not comment. She strolled up to Minato and tried to lift him off Hiashi's lap but Hiashi didn't let go. She sent him a look which was met by his impassive glare. Kakashi, Kurenai, and the Hyuga servant who let them in all took a step back as they saw the lightning between the two grandparents' eyes.

"I thank you for looking after _**my**_ Mina-chan, but I'm sure he would like to spend more time outside instead of being cramped up in this office," Tsunade said as she tugged the ever curious and confused Minato a little closer to her.

"I believe _**my**_ grandson and I were perfectly content looking at photos of his other grandparents before you arrived and I promised both my daughter and future son-in-law that I would take care of their son," Hiashi replied back as he gently pulled Minato back closer to him.

"Don't you think you're jumping the gun a little bit with Naruto? He's not even 16 yet," Tsunade retorted while maintaining her grip on Minato.

"On the contrary, Hokage-sama, Naruto and Hinata have had a child out of wedlock and I had to tell my council that they will be married in order to protect not only Hinata but Minato as well. Before you object, I have told Naruto he doesn't have to do anything he doesn't want to, but he seemed receptive of the idea of being in a serious relationship with my daughter. We both know her feelings for him so it is only a matter of time before they are married," Hiashi announced, which shocked everyone in the room.

Tsunade released Minato out of shock much to the hidden joy of Hiashi and the hidden relief of Minato, who was not comfortable being the center of a tug-of-war game.

"That baka…" Tsunade said with a sad smile. "I basically adopted him a week ago and now he's all ready to grow up and start a family…."

"You knew this from the start, Tsunade-sama. That's why you never filled out the adoption forms. He's basically fully matured age-wise and he's been considered an adult by the village ever since he received his hitai-ate. It doesn't mean he won't need you in his life. He still hasn't been on his first proper date, he hasn't had 'the talk', and he's going to need a strong mother figure in his life when times become rough for him and he has no one else to turn to," Shizune said gently as she patted her mentor's shoulder.

Tsunade gave a light chuckle before she felt a light tug on her hair. She looked to the side to see that Hiashi had released Minato, who crawled over to her to pull on her ponytail.

Hiashi smiled slightly. "Hokage-sama, Kurenai-san, can I make a request?"

Tsunade placed Minato on her lap before looking at Hiashi curiously while Kurenai, who was standing near the door, came forward. "What do you need?"

Hiashi sighed before staring into space for a little bit. He looked a lot older than he should have at that moment, and it put Tsunade on edge.

"I know I haven't been a good father that my daughters deserve. I wasn't there for them and even though we have formed a new bond, I will always regret the way I treated them after their mother passed on," a flash of pain crossed though his eyes before he concealed it by staring out his office window.

"What I'm asking from you, Tsunade-sama and Kurenai-san, is to help Hinata along her road to motherhood. She has no one who can really help her besides you two. She needs a strong female role model and obviously I can't provide that to her nor will I be able to do that for Hanabi when the time comes. I know neither of you have had children, but I am asking you to at least be there for her if I direct her to you when she has questions," Hiashi said solemnly.

Kurenai and Tsunade shared a look before smiling. It seemed that Hiashi Hyuga's hardened shell was finally cracking.

"Hiashi-sama, you didn't even have to ask. I have cared for Hinata since the day you assigned me as her guide to the Academy. She is like the little sister I've always wanted or the daughter I never had. Nothing will change the bond we share, and I will help her along as best I can, not only as her mentor, but as her friend," Kurenai said with a small bow.

Tsunade nodded as well. "I may not know Hinata like Kurenai does, but I know she is a sweet girl from the times I have interacted with her. I will always be there for counseling as well if she ever needs some advice. Isn't that right, Mina-chan…Mina-chan?!" Tsunade was alarmed that she didn't see the little baby in her lap. She looked towards Hiashi who didn't have Minato either.

The grandparents were about to launch into a hysterical panic attack until they heard Kakashi clearing his throat. Kakashi was standing awkwardly with Minato in his arms while the baby was wiggling his chubby fingers near Kakashi's face.

"Kakashi, you almost gave me a heart attack, why did you take Minato away from me!?" Tsunade bellowed as she readied to pound the lazy Jonin if his answer sounded anything like his usual excuses for being late.

Kakashi seemed calm on the outside, but he was slightly panicking on the inside. He didn't know anything about handling babies and this one happened to be the grandson of his sensei and son of his student. Not only that, but the Hokage and Hyuga clan leader looked like they were ready to gut him like a fish.

"I didn't take him from you, Tsunade-sama. He crawled out of your lap and crawled to me. I picked him up and he's been trying to grab my mask ever since," Kakashi reported while holding Minato protectively yet just far enough away so the infant couldn't reach him. He paused before jokingly saying, "It seems Mina-chan is going to be just as elusive as Naruto was when he was younger. I wonder how many Chunin and Jonin it's going to take to capture this little guy."

The rest of the room sighed and let out a few chuckles. They were interrupted when another servant walked in followed by Hinata and Naruto who were both shocked to see so many people in Hiashi's office. Minato squealed happily and reached out for Hinata who was closer at the moment. Kakashi obliged the infant and carefully handed him to Hinata who started cooing towards her little son.

"So...how come we weren't invited to this little shindig?" Naruto lightly joked.

Tsunade turned towards him with a serious expression on her face which made Naruto quite nervous. "You got a lot of nerve, brat! It's been over a week and you haven't even visited once! I had to come up with like one hundred bullshit excuses just so I could see my grandson! What do you have to say for yourself?" Tsunade ranted with her hands on her hips.

"Um…I'm sorry?" Naruto said it more as a question than an apology.

Tsunade sighed before she lightly bopped Naruto on the head. She turned to Hinata who was giggling slightly at the little display. "How do you put up with him? You must have the patience of a saint."

"Oi, I'm standing right here!" Naruto fumed which just caused everyone to laugh again.

"Calm down, Naruto. We were just joking, and it's good to see you again," Kakashi said as he patted Naruto on the shoulder.

"Welcome back to the village, Naruto-san. I must admit I was surprised to hear you were back and you somehow knocked up my student according to the rumors we heard," Kurenai joked, but it caused Hinata and Naruto to pale.

Tsunade waved off their concerns. "I already told them about what happened before and the real version of what happened." Naruto winced slightly, but Hinata placed a comforting hand on his shoulder causing both of them to relax.

"So I guess we have a lot to discuss, right?" Naruto asked while the others nodded.

"Why don't we meet in the living quarters? I'm sure we will be more comfortable there," Hiashi stated as he signaled a servant to prepare some tea for his guests.

The small group walked out of the cramped office and into the comfortable foyer. Before they knew it, they had spent at least a couple hours talking, reminiscing, and joking about the past and current situations.

"…So Jiraiya-sensei runs out of the room screaming and yelling at me to follow him. I was confused until I saw that his 'lady friend' he left with come out with a wig in his hands. He was screaming at Jiraiya not being man enough to handle him." Naruto started laughing a bit harder as he recalled that specific incident.

"Oh god, I am never going to let him live this down! I can't believe he wandered into an Otaku house instead of a brothel," Tsunade howled with laughter.

"To be fair, he was heavily drunk, and Seiko is a unisex name. I'm just glad I didn't get dragged in there with him," Naruto said as he finally calmed down.

"Well as much fun as this has been, I believe we should take our leave now. Naruto, I expect you to make some time so I can see my grandson or so help me I will knock your block off," Tsunade jokingly threatened before pulling Naruto into a tight hug.

"It was good seeing you again, Hinata-chan. Take care of her, Naruto-san. Also, it was good seeing you back. If you need a babysitter for Minato-chan and Hiashi-sama isn't available, I would be glad to look after him," Kurenai replied as she hugged Hinata, kissed Minato on his forehead, and patted Naruto on his shoulder.

"Thank you, Kurenai-sensei. We appreciate your offer and I hope you visit again soon," Hinata said genially while Naruto nodded.

"You can count on it," Kurenai replied as she and Shizune gave Naruto and Hinata one last hug.

Kakashi was the last to step up. "Naruto, I'm glad you made it out of that lab alive. I know how much it hurts to lose someone close to you, but I'll be there if you ever want to talk about anything. I also have a gift for you," Kakashi pulled out a three-pronged kunai that everyone recognized.

Naruto stared at the kunai with wide eyes. "Is that…"

Kakashi nodded before handing it to Naruto. "This was one of your father's kunai. He gave it to me as a gift when I became a Jonin. I've kept it ever since as one of my most cherished items…I want you to have it now though."

Naruto's eyes welled up with tears, but he refused to shed them. He gently brushed his finger over the Hiraishin seal on the handle of the kunai. _"…Dad…"_

Naruto looked up into Kakashi's eye, and Kakashi smiled seeing the fire and determination return in his pupil's eyes.

"You don't know how much this means to me, Kakashi-sensei. I can't express my thanks. I'll just prove it by making both you and dad proud of me!" Naruto said vehemently.

Everyone recognized the fire in Naruto's voice and smiled. "I believe he's already proud of you, Naruto, and I know I am," Kakashi said as he patted Naruto's shoulder one last time before turning to leave with Tsunade, Shizune, and Kurenai.

"I will earn it, though...I'll prove it by mastering this," Naruto said to himself as he stared at the kunai.

"Master what, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked, which caught everyone's attention.

"I will master the Hiraishin no Jutsu…"

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter End<strong>

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><p><strong>AN Oh crap, it's been a while. I know I said I would continue this story as long as I was physically able to, but damn I had a rough last few months since my last update. For starters, I got a horrific case of poison ivy that spread on both my hands. It was really bad since the blisters would rub against each other and pop and ooze when I moved my fingers, so that decommissioned me all of July. **

**I got pictures of it that I turned over to my doctor, so if you don't believe me, I do have them, though they aren't pretty. My pal Solvdrage can attest to that DX**

**August, I went on vacation to Ocean City, where I broke my elbow playing basketball, then I got into a fight and had a couple ribs fractured/broken. Before you say it, I didn't start it! It was just a case of being in the wrong spot at the wrong time. I just got my casts off, so here we are! **

**I understand if some of you are angry that it took me so long to update and I don't blame you. I probably should have left a notice or something and for that I apologize, but I plan on staying healthy and avoiding any more series of unfortunate events in the future. **

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and please leave a review!**

**Special thanks to solvdrage and hinatasgreatestfan for betaing this chapter  
><strong>


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer**: "I don't own _Naruto_

"Normal"

"_Thoughts"_

"**YELLING or JUTSUS**"

**"Demon talk**"

"_**Demon Thoughts**_"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Father to a Blond Hyuga<strong>_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 13<strong>_

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><p>Naruto knew something was wrong before he even opened his eyes. Upon awakening, he had realized he was no longer in his room at the Hyuga compound as he was laying on his stomach on the hard ground; he was almost afraid to open his eyes for fear that he had been captured again. Groping around, he found himself surrounded by blades of dead grass; their brittle points poked at his exploring hands as he pressed down upon them. The smell of burning lumber filled his nostrils as he inhaled a breath. When he opened his eyes, Naruto found himself looking at the remains of a recently-burnt-down forest. The embers were still fresh in some areas, but most of the area was covered in ashes. Naruto looked up into the sky to see a gray canvas of clouds that blanketed the sky. A hazy fog surrounded the area. Naruto was reminded of his first encounter with the late Demon of the Mist, Zabuza Momochi.<p>

"What the hell is going on here…?" Naruto muttered to himself as he wiped the soot and dead grass off his body.

He took a moment to look around before noticing a path that was barely visible in the mist

"_Well, I don't see any other ways to go…"_ Naruto thought with a shrug before he started walking down the path. He couldn't see where it led as the mist was too thick to see while the dead trees limited the directions he could take. It was almost like he was in some sort of maze.

"_Dammit, where am I and where am I going? Where is Minato-chan, Hinata-chan or anybody?"_ Naruto thought restlessly as he continued down the hazy path.

It felt like hours to Naruto as he traversed the dead forest. The mist still obscured everything in front of him, but he was determined to find out where he was. Eventually, Naruto noticed that the mist was lightening and he found himself at a crossroads. The first path seemed familiar to him and he was able to make out a silhouette of a person down it. He spared a glance to the other path, but did not see anything worth noting about it except that it was more obscured by the mist.

Naruto took a step towards the more familiar path and immediately felt something was off. The other path seemed to call after him with familiar voices that he couldn't identify, and a foreign yet pleasurable warmth permeated from it. He felt himself moving towards the obscured path until he noticed that the silhouette's eyes were glowing red…

Naruto was able to recognize the telling signs of the black ring and three tomoes of the Sharingan!

"Sasuke?!" Naruto exclaimed as he wretched his body away from the obscure path to move towards his wayward friend.

As soon as Naruto committed to the familiar path, he felt like somebody had stabbed his heart with the coldest icicles made by the Yuki clan. Naruto turned back and noticed that the obscured path was now blocked off by decaying trees that weren't there before. The warmth and familiarity that the obscured path provided was pulled away from Naruto leaving a cold feeling of dread and loneliness to swell inside of him.

"_W-What is this feeling…?"_ Naruto thought to himself as he felt a shiver go down his spine.

Naruto shook his head before he decided to continue down the path towards his wayward friend. He noticed that the silhouette of Sasuke seemed farther away than he thought initially, but the mist had faded. Naruto immediately wished the mist hadn't faded as he saw the burnt remains of people. Their bodies were burned beyond recognition, but their eyes and faces were frozen in agony and anguish. Naruto felt like retching at the sight, but he continued walking past the horrific sights.

What Naruto didn't notice was that all the eyes of the burnt people were following him as he moved away from them…

Naruto found more bodies, but the sight of these bodies shook him to the core. The first person he noticed was his sensei, Kakashi. Kakashi was slumped down against a fallen tree stump with a bloody hole where his heart should be. Naruto instantly recognized it as a Chidori wound. Kakashi's head slumped backwards to reveal his still-masked face with twin blood streaks running from his eye sockets…both his eyes were missing…

Naruto turned next to see Asuma's burnt body reaching out to Kurenai's defiled one that was pinned to a tree with Ninja wire. Naruto could see the burn marks where the wire met her pale flesh as well as the precise cuts that littered her body.

Gai's skin was red and his eyes were white while his body was burning. It was obvious he had opened all 8 of the celestial gates. His infamous green leotards along with his Jonin vest were completely burnt off from the waist up. His star pupil, Lee, was lying next to his fallen sensei. Like Gai, Lee showed signs of opening the gates, but his arms were broken in a manner similar to when they were entrapped by Gaara's sand coffin.

Tenten was near an eyeless Neji who was off to the side of the fallen green beasts. Neji's caged bird seal was glowing bright green as if it was still activated. His usual Stoic Hyuga mask was replaced by a face of pure agony as his hands cradled his head. Tenten was more fortunate than the other victims as the only injury she suffered from was a giant sword embedded into her stomach and pinning her to the ground as she reached out towards Neji's body.

Naruto started hyperventilating at the sight of his dead friends. He didn't realize that he was running until he tripped over something blocking the path. Upon close inspection, Naruto noted in despair that he had tripped over a mortally wounded dog that looked like Akamaru, except a lot bigger. He was able to confirm it was Akamaru when he saw Kiba's head near the downed dog as well as his headless body resting on top of his canine companion's corpse.

"No…no…nonononononono NO!" Naruto screamed as he backed right into Shino's body that was hanging from a tree like some sick burnt piñata. He knew it was Shino's body because as soon as he touched it, it split in half to reveal the surviving members of his bug colonies feasting on his innards.

Naruto felt the bile rising in his throat as he ran to the closest bush to throw up. Unfortunately, he stumbled on the bodies of team ten. Like Kurenai, Shikamaru was tied to a tree with numerous cuts on his body. Choji was basically unrecognizable due to the corpse being nothing but bones and skin. He looked like Mizuki after Orochimaru's tiger serum wore off on him. The only way he was even able to tell it was Choji were the swirl marks on his sunken cheeks. Ino's body was almost as bad as Choji's. All her pale white skin was replaced with purple and black bruises. Her face was swollen completely while her arms were bending in an unnatural way.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!" Naruto screamed as he dropped to his knees and gripped his head.

Naruto took a few deep breaths while trying to ignore the smell of blood and burnt flesh that filled the air. His friends were dead and it looked like they suffered until Shinigami claimed them. Naruto felt a part of himself die with each friend he found, but he held a small glimmer of hope as he had yet to find his dear Hinata-chan or his son. He prayed to whatever god that was listening for their safety…

Naruto stumbled upon another pile of familiar bodies. Hiashi's body was mutilated in the same way as Neji's. His eyes were ripped from their sockets and there was a caged bird seal glowing on his forehead. Tsunade's body was right next to Hiashi's. Her Genjutsu was gone revealing her wrinkled tan skin. Her throat and wrists were slit as she lay face down in a puddle of her own blood. Surprisingly, he found Sakura's body near Tsunade's. She was bound to a tree like Shikamaru and Kurenai, but…it seemed worse in her case. She was crucified to the tree with kunai holding her in place. Naruto could see the tear stains running down her face while he noticed that she had the word "useless" branded into her skin right above her navel.

Naruto knew he wasn't friends with Sakura after the whole Hospital incident, but he didn't think she deserved this kind of fate. He wouldn't even wish this kind of torment on his enemies…

Naruto was snapped out of his musing when a dark chuckle echoed in the clearing where he was now standing. "Enjoying my masterpieces, dobe?"

Naruto went rigid at the cold yet familiar voice talking to him. He slowly turned away from Sakura's corpse and what he saw made his blood freeze. Sasuke had thrown his Hinata's body on the ground like a sack of rocks. Her body rolled before it finally landed directly in front of him, her once bright lavender eyes looking up at him. He could see the anger, sadness, despair, and desperation in her now dull eyes. Her jacket was shredded and numerous cuts oozed her precious red life force. What haunted Naruto the most was how her arm was locked into place due to rigor mortis. She was reaching out for something…or someone…

Naruto numbly looked away from his beloved and turned to his former best friend. What he saw made him want to murder the bastard where he stood even more than he had a moment ago, yet he was frozen in place by fear. Sasuke stared at Naruto with a sinister smirk on his face as he twirled a bloody kunai in his left hand while cradling Minato in his right hand…

Naruto wanted to move. He wanted to punch this monster in the face. He wanted to save his son, but all he could do was stare at Sasuke and Minato like a dear in the headlights.

"S-Sasuke…why…why did you do this?!" Naruto finally asked.

"Hn, I may have finished these weaklings off, but ultimately you caused their deaths, Naruto," Sasuke said as he gently poked Minato with the bloody kunai. The baby didn't even stir from his slumber.

"How could I have ever caused this! I'd rather die than let my friends die!" Naruto screamed as he felt his fury wash out all his fear until Sasuke moved the kunai closer to Minato's exposed flesh.

"Shhh…use your inside voice when the baby is asleep, dobe," Sasuke smiled cruelly. "As for how this is your fault, you said it yourself. You would rather die to save your _**friends**_. Wasn't I your friend, Naruto?" Sasuke asked mockingly.

"What you probably didn't realize is that these pathetic losers would go to the same length for _**you!**_ So on your quest to save me, you lost sight of those who wanted to protect you. Do you remember what I told you at the Valley of the End? I told you you would never beat me since you could never understand my loss. Well I took everyone away from you so we could fight on even footing…well, almost everyone…" Sasuke's Sharingan eyes had a murderous glint in them as he turned his sights on Minato.

"NO! Sasuke, don't do this, please!" Naruto begged but was rewarded with a sinister laugh.

"Do you know the reason my brother told me I was so weak?" Sasuke asked with a faux innocent voice before raising the kunai away from Minato. "He said I lacked…hatred!" Sasuke exclaimed as he plunged the kunai into Minato's slumbering form.

Naruto felt his world shatter around him as he gave a sorrowful, inhuman roar.

* * *

><p><strong>Hyuga Compound<strong>

* * *

><p>"<strong>NOOOOOO!" <strong>Naruto bolted upright in his bed as he started looking frantically around. He spotted Minato's crib next to his bed and let out a shaky sigh of relief.

It was all a nightmare…his son was okay…his friends were okay…were they okay? He didn't know! Naruto felt his whole body go rigid when two slender arms wrapped around his shoulders. Naruto quickly snapped his attention to a worried Hinata, who was staring at him.

"Are you all right Naruto-kun?" Hinata whispered as she saw his shaking die down a bit.

"Hinata!" Naruto let out a strangled cry of relief as he flung his arms around the Hyuga Heiress. He buried his head into her shoulder as he cried out the despair he felt throughout that horrific nightmare.

Hinata wasn't sure what happened, but she tightened her hold around Naruto while running a hand up and down his bare back. He was shaking from the sobs that broke through his mouth, and his skin was clammy. "Shhh, it's okay, Naru-kun…I'm here for you…" Hinata whispered in his ear.

"You're alive! You're okay! Thank Kami!" Naruto repeated that multiple times, and he finally got his sobs under control.

"It was all a nightmare, Naruto-kun. Nothing can take me away from you or Minato-chan," Hinata whispered vehemently. It pained Hinata to see her love in such a state. Whatever he saw really rattled him. It must have been awful for it to affect Naruto this badly, but she would be his stone, his anchor, like how he was hers for all those years.

Hinata gently lowered both of them down to the bed as she pulled the covers over their bodies. They didn't say anything but took comfort in each other's presence until Naruto was finally relaxed enough to look at her. Cerulean met lavender as both of them stared into each other's eyes.

Hinata saw the fear of her disappearing if he let go of her. She saw the despair he was going through from the mere thought of what he saw, but she also saw the relief and the happiness buried behind all the pain. He was suffering, but her presence was calming him down. Despite the circumstances, she was elated that she could help Naruto. It was quite empowering for her after so many years of thinking she was useless. She knew that this wouldn't be a one-time thing, and she was resolved to help her love through whatever plagued him whenever he needed her.

Naruto looked deeply into Hinata's lavender eyes. They were quite beautiful. They conveyed everything she felt for him right now. He saw her worry for his wellbeing, her understanding of what he was going through, but he also the fire in her eyes to help him. He saw and felt the adoration she held for him and he lost his breath from her beauty. She was just as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside. He couldn't contain his smile as he stared at her as she stared back at him.

"You're so beautiful, Hinata-chan…" Naruto whispered and chuckled softly when her face turned slightly red.

"T-thank you, N-Naruto-kun." Hinata looked down with a soft smile on her face. She honestly never felt beautiful so it meant so much to her to hear it from Naruto.

Naruto's smile seemed to grow until the nightmare Sasuke's words repeated in his head. Naruto frowned before looking back towards Hinata hesitantly.

"…Hinata-chan, you know I'd protect you and our friends with my life, right?" Naruto asked honestly.

Hinata's eyebrows rose in surprise, but she answered truthfully, "Of course, Naruto-kun, but we would do the same for you."

"…why? I'm not worth it! I'd rather die protecting you all than have someone die for me!" Naruto said as he sat up.

Hinata reached up and turned Naruto towards her so he could see the seriousness in her eyes. She gently gripped his face before saying, "You are worth it, Naruto-kun! Don't you ever think you're not! Everyone in this village would protect you because you are a shinobi of the leaf, we're all family in that sense, but our friends would take it a step further because of what you mean to all of us. We'd follow you into the fire because we know you wouldn't lead us astray. That's why you would make a great Hokage in my opinion, because you have a certain trait that makes people believe in you. It's one of the reasons that I…I love you…"

Hinata whispered the last part, but Naruto heard it the same as his eyes widened in shock. He felt his heart skip a beat at her quiet declaration. No one had ever said that to him before, and it made his heart swell.

"Hinata, I…I…" He was interrupted by Hinata gently stroking his whisker marks.

"Don't force yourself to say it, Naruto-kun. I want you to say it when your heart and mind are both clear like how mine is. Even if you never say it, I'll still always love you…" She kissed him lightly on his lips before resting her head in the crook of his neck.

Naruto was very conflicted with himself at the moment. He felt his heart screaming at him for not saying he loved her back, but his mind was saying he needed more time to think about this. He had never been loved like this before, so he had no idea how to proceed, but his heart still ached for him to do something…anything!

"I…I don't think I would be able to live without you, Hinata-chan…" Naruto whispered as he held her closer to him.

"I know I wouldn't be able to live without you, Naruto-kun…please rest, my love, we need some sleep for tomorrow," Hinata replied softly before kissing him and snuggling closer to him.

* * *

><p><strong>ANBU T&amp;I Headquarters<strong>

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><p>"Are you all right, Naruto? You seem distracted," Inoichi asked as he looked as his young charge.<p>

They were sitting in a small room that was Inoichi's office. It was quite Spartan, but his desk did have a few pictures of his wife and Ino at different ages of her life. Naruto was sitting on a nondescript brown couch while staring out the window to see the people milling around the main street of Konoha.

"I'm sorry, Inoichi-san, I've had a lot on my mind lately, and I had a really bad nightmare last night…" Naruto apologized, but he couldn't look the man in the eyes.

Inoichi looked at him sympathetically before writing something on his clipboard. "Was it about Kushina and Uzushiomaru?"

Naruto flinched at hearing those names, but he shook his head. He explained what happened in his dream and what he saw, though not in great detail. He really didn't want to go over what he saw, but he knew Inoichi would ask to see it directly from his mind if he didn't tell him something.

"I see…it must have been quite the ordeal, Naruto…" Inoichi replied as he lightly patted Naruto on the shoulder.

"…it was bad…" Naruto knew he was understating how bad it really was. He shivered a bit when he recalled a few details in his mind.

Inoichi nodded before asking, "Naruto, do you know what dreams are?"

Naruto cocked his head to the side in confusion. "Uh, aren't they things your mind makes up when you're sleeping?"

Inoichi chuckled, "Yes, in the vaguest sense. Dreams and nightmares are usually your subconscious trying to tell you something. What do you think the message of this nightmare was, Naruto?"

Naruto was quiet for a second as he thought over everything that happened. It was painful to think about it, but he had to do this if he wanted to move on.

"I'm not really sure what it was trying to tell me. I think…I don't really know," Naruto groaned in frustration as he grabbed the sides of his head.

"It's all right, Naruto. Why don't we break it down from the beginning? Let's start with the crossroad. What do you think that part meant as well as your reaction to it?" Inoichi asked.

Naruto thought long and hard about that specific part while blocking out the rest of his nightmare. "I remember that the other path that I ignored felt safer, but I immediately went for the other one because I thought I saw Sasuke…"

Inoichi nodded his before asking, "Why did you ignore your own instincts to go after Sasuke?"

Naruto opened his mouth to quickly reply, but then he closed it and thought about the question. Why did he do that? Naruto knew that if he followed his instincts he wouldn't have gone through that nightmare.

"I think I was still trying to fulfill my promise to bring Sasuke back. At the time I made that promise, I thought I would bring Sasuke back, no matter the cost…" Naruto started to feel slightly ashamed that he became that obsessed with returning his friend.

"Is that still the case now, Naruto?" Inoichi asked and was relieved when Naruto emphatically shook his head.

"I think that might have been the message my nightmare was trying to tell me. I have people who are precious to me and I can't risk everything, even for Sasuke. He was my first friend and I even saw him as a brother, but I wouldn't sacrifice my family, or my precious people, for him. It doesn't mean I'm going to let him go if we cross paths, but I'm not going to focus solely on returning him," Naruto replied evenly. He felt like a part of him was turning his back on his former friend, but another part was telling him it was logical since he did shove a Chidori in his chest…

Inoichi nodded his head before writing another thing on his clipboard, "I'm pleased you are taking such a mature route in this situation, Naruto. It's not easy to see your friend become your enemy. I used to talk to the late Sandaime about how he handled or mishandled his situation with Orochimaru. Sandaime-sama wasn't able to see past the pupil he taught for so long and because of this indecision, well…I think you know rest…"

Naruto frowned a little bit thinking about the traitorous snake, but he had to ask, "How did Old Man Sarutobi handle it? I mean did he feel responsible because he knew he could have stopped Orochimaru?"

"Yes, he felt quite responsible for it. Sandaime-sama used to say he felt a part of him die every time he heard Orochimaru's activities. He felt every life Orochimaru took after he escaped was now on his hands. I believe it haunted him till he finally passed on…" Inoichi replied solemnly.

"I could have stopped Sasuke, you know. When we were in our final charge…I pulled my Rasengan up to scratch his forehead protector instead of going for his exposed ribs, which would have knocked him out…" Naruto guiltily admitted.

"Why did you pull up?" Inoichi asked with genuine interest. Naruto never delved into what happened at the Valley of the End since he started talking with Inoichi.

"A part of me wanted to prove to Sasuke that I could do it. He said I wouldn't even be able to scratch his forehead. A different part of me believed that he would pull up as well…obviously he didn't…" Naruto chuckled humorlessly while gripping the spot where Sasuke struck him.

"I…see…" Inoichi was surprised by Naruto's admission. There really wasn't much he could have said.

Naruto shook his head, "I guess the Old Man and I had more in common than I thought. I wonder if I'll feel responsible for Sasuke like the Old Man felt for Snake-teme…"

"It's not that simple, Naruto. Even though you couldn't bring Sasuke back, you don't have to shoulder the burden alone. Kakashi and Sakura were also part of Team 7, and your entire class would help retrieve him if need be," Inoichi replied.

"I guess you're right…" Naruto finally relented. He had heard it from Hinata and now Inoichi was just affirming what she had said.

Naruto's eyes seemed to go into a daze as he thought of the Hyuga heiress. She was so perfect, he thought. She was kind, caring, gentle, and overall an amazing human being. She accepted him when he told her about the Kyubi and was even open about being the mother to their child. She was just a beautiful person inside and out...and she said she loved him! After all that, Naruto still didn't understand why he still couldn't say those words back to her.

"Inoichi-san, when did you know you loved Ino's mom?" Naruto asked abruptly.

Inoichi was caught off guard by the random question, but he recovered quickly. Naruto quickly apologized saying that he didn't mean to cross over personal boundaries, but Inoichi just waved him off.

"Well, it's going to sound weird, but I fell in love with Ino's mom when she set my hair on fire," Inoichi deadpanned then laughed at Naruto bewildered expression.

"You see, Ino's mom and I were dating for a while, but we lacked any real intimacy. We had dates and the occasional kiss, but something just felt missing. One day, Ino's mom asked me if she could cook me dinner, which perplexed me since I didn't even knew she could cook. I realized later that that night was her first attempt at it. So I arrived at her house at the appointed time to find a romantically set up table with candles, dim lights, and slow music in the background. The only thing missing was the food. I found Ino's mom struggling with a propane stove, and I offered to help. As I leaned over, she accidentally hit the switch and my ponytail got caught in the flames! I must have been running around like a chicken with its head cut off, and Ino's mom was following trying to smother the flames!" Inoichi started laughing again at the memory while Naruto joined in because of the sheer absurdity of it.

"So how did that make you realize you loved her?" Naruto asked as his laughter died down to the occasional chuckle.

"I was getting to that part," Inoichi chided jokingly. "After she was able to put out the flames, Ino's mom started crying while saying she just wanted to show me how much I meant to her, and she ruined everything. I hugged her and told her she didn't need to go through all that, but the fact that she did told me she was the right one. She had never cooked before, but she was willing to try for me, and that was really touching. She never stopped trying, either. I think it was a month after that before she was able to make an **edible** dish…now her cooking is one of the things I look forward to when I go home."

"So you fell in love with her, because she tried to cook for you?" Naruto asked in a confused tone.

"No, I fell in love with her because she was willing to step out of her comfort zone to make me happy. A lot of people can say they want what is best for someone, but we both know that actions speak louder than words. Ino's mom proved it to me that night. So, now that my story is over, would you care to explain what brought this topic up in the first place?" Inoichi asked nicely. He honestly didn't mind the topic, but it seemed quite abrupt from what they were talking about before.

Naruto seemed to look down towards his hands with a saddened expression, "Hinata-chan told me she loved me, and I couldn't say it back…I wanted to say it, but I hesitated and she told me she only wanted me to say it when my heart and mind were clear about it like hers were…My heart wants to love her, but my mind is scared…I don't even know what it's scared about…"

Inoichi sat back into his chair before he chuckled softly. "Naruto, I think you're suffering from something that plagues many a man. I think you have commitment anxiety. You've never really had someone there for you when you were younger so naturally you built up a mental wall to protect yourself from getting hurt by others. These are the same walls preventing you from committing to Hinata-san. By acknowledging her feelings and reciprocating them, you are allowing her to slip past those walls, which your mind thinks should not happen."

"So how do I get over this?" Naruto was basically pleading with Inoichi now.

"The best way to get over the fear of commitment is to take the plunge and commit. You never truly get over the fear of it, Naruto, but you really have to ask yourself these questions: Is she worth it? Is she worth all the uncertainties of the future? Is she worth it to lower your walls? If she is, then the rewards will always outweigh the fear you are feeling now, " Inoichi replied strongly.

Naruto seemed to ponder over those questions over and over in his head. Was she worth it? Could he fully let her behind his walls? Surprisingly, his mind answered those questions quite quickly. "I…I think I love her…" Naruto whispered out in awe.

Inoichi saw Naruto's expression and smiled for the young man. "Congratulations, Naruto. Make sure you tell her, though. She's not a mind reader like my clan."

Naruto nodded his head dumbly. He was still in a blissful shock after admitting his feelings for Hinata.

Inoichi looked at his watch and noticed that their session was over. He snapped Naruto out of his shock and told him they would meet later. Naruto nodded before walking out of the office. He had to meet Kakashi so he could start his training, yet Naruto's mind was more focused on a certain Hyuga Heiress than training…

* * *

><p><strong>Training Ground 14<strong>

* * *

><p>Naruto was making his way to the training ground where he and Kakashi-sensei had agreed to meet. He was ignoring the whispers and looks that were being directed at him until he heard his name being called out. He turned to see Team 10 coming over to him minus their sensei.<p>

Ino was dressed the same way she was when she visited the Hyuga Compound a couple days ago. Shikamaru was dressed in a standard blue Chunin shirt and pants with his Chunin vest over it. Choji was wearing a red suit with plated armor on his torso, arms, and upper legs, which is seemingly the standard attire for shinobi in his clan. His hair was also grown down to his waist.

"Hey Ino, Choji, and Shikamaru, it's been a while since I've seen you guys!" Naruto directed his statement to the two males of team 10.

"Hey, Naruto, Ino was just explaining why you were back so soon. 'Troublesome' doesn't even start to describe you," Shikamaru said with a slight smirk as he shook Naruto's hand.

Naruto just rolled his eyes before fist bumping with Choji. "I get that a lot, thanks," Naruto deadpanned.

"So how are you? It must be odd for you to be living with the Hyuga. You know, since they probably have so many rules, and you are…well…you," Choji asked with a shrug.

"What's that supposed to mean! I can follow rules just fine!" Naruto replied indignantly, which caused all members of Team 10 to roll their eyes. "In all seriousness, it's been fine except for running into the occasional stuck-up asshole. Hiashi-sama has been a very gracious host, and I've felt quite welcomed there."

"Huh, I didn't expect that to be honest. The Hyuga always seem a bit…distant…even with each other," Shikamaru remarked.

"Kakashi-sensei did always say look underneath the underneath. It also applies here. Anyways, what are you guys up to?" Naruto asked curiously.

"We actually just finished our morning routine, and we decided to get some lunch. It's actually quite lucky we ran into you. We're gonna have a class reunion later tonight at the Korean Barbecue restaurant and we want you to bring Hinata and Minato-chan!" Ino squealed at the thought of seeing the adorable baby again.

"Uh…I'll ask Hinata if she wants to go, and, if she does, we'll see you then…" Naruto took a step away from Ino. Her over-the-top behavior always made him feel uneasy.

"You better make sure you guys come out! It's been forever since we've all been together, and, if you don't come, I'll make sure you regret it!" Ino threatened but was held back by Shikamaru and Choji.

"This is so troublesome…Naruto, just show up tonight with your wife and son. I doubt Choji and I can hold Ino back if you don't," Shikamaru jokingly teased.

Naruto shook his head before waving goodbye to the trio and continuing on his way to meet up with his sensei.

It took him a few minutes before he finally arrived at the designated training ground. He found Kakashi standing near the center of the field with his Icha Icha book in his hand.

"Yo, Naruto, you are late," Kakashi said casually as he turned to the next page of his book.

Seeing as it was a rare role reversal, Naruto couldn't help saying, "Sorry, I got lost on the road of life."

"It is quite a difficult path to traverse…" Kakashi nodded before snapping his book shut. "Now, Naruto, you expressed an interest in learning the Hiraishin. I'm sorry to say I can't really help you with it, but I know some people who can. Unfortunately, they are all out on a mission and won't be back for a week. In the meantime, I will be helping you with your elemental manipulation. Jiraiya-sama said you already completed the leaf cutting exercise so we'll be going to the more advanced form."

"What do I have to do, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked as he stretched his limbs.

Kakashi eye-smiled before pointing to at a pond with a waterfall above it, "You have to split that with your chakra now. This exercise is about channeling your wind chakra in large quantities while still maintaining the sharpness required to cut through the water. Before we start, though, let's do a light spar to see how much you've grown…starting now!"

Kakashi disappeared from Naruto's line of sight and only thanks to Naruto's instincts was he able to dodge the closed-fist strike to the back of his head. Naruto used his momentum to roll forward where he jumped to his feet and threw a flurry of wind enhanced kunai at Kakashi who disappeared in a puff of smoke when struck.

Naruto was on guard with his kunai in a reverse grip while his other hand was holding a handful of shuriken. He felt a slight shift in the ground, so he jumped away from where he was previously standing. Kakashi emerged from the ground as he failed to execute his **Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu**.

"It seems your instincts and tactics have improved, Naruto. I thought you were going to try to overwhelm me with your clones and rush in. I have yet to see you actually make a clone yet…" Kakashi complimented as he took out his own kunai and stood on guard.

"Who says I didn't make any clones?" Naruto asked as the kunai from before turned into multiple Narutos, who attacked Kakashi from different directions.

Kakashi was momentarily surprised before he substituted with a log to avoid Naruto's attacks. Kakashi hid in a tree overlooking the clearing where he observed his student. This Naruto was quite different from the one he taught a few years ago. Naruto didn't show any panic and kept his guard up. Kakashi wouldn't have believed this was Naruto if he wasn't looking directly at him. Naruto was calm and statuesque. Those were two adjectives that Kakashi would have never used to describe the Naruto of the past.

"He's improved, but it'll take more than a handful of clones and transformations to beat me…" Kakashi whispered to himself.

"How about this then, **Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"** Naruto's voice floated behind Kakashi before he felt a wall of wind smash into his back. Kakashi landed with a thud before he groaned and stood up.

"That was good, Naruto. I guess I have take you seriously now," Kakashi replied as he raised his headband to reveal his Sharingan.

"Don't you think that might be a bit overkill, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We'll see, Naruto…now let's see what you've got." Kakashi got into a defensive stance.

Naruto didn't need another invitation, so he charged towards Kakashi while making a shadow clone. Naruto and his clone charged straight towards Kakashi before his clone veered to the left while Naruto went to the right. Kakashi jumped backwards and charged towards the real Naruto. They locked into a deadly dance of kunai slashes and parrying blades. Kakashi had a huge advantage over Naruto due to his Sharingan, and he eventually knocked Naruto's blade out of his hand.

"I guess this is over now, Naruto." Kakashi held his kunai at his pupil's neck. He was surprised when he saw Naruto smirk.

"Not just yet, Kakashi-sensei!" The Naruto in front of him turned into a smoke plume. Kakashi turned just in time to receive a strike to the stomach.

"**Wind Style: Gale Palms!"** Kakashi was launched into the air from the impact of Naruto's fists that were enshrouded with swirling wind chakra.

Kakashi was halfway in the air when he disappeared in a smoke cloud. Naruto was on alert until he heard the sound of a thousand chirping birds, the Chidori.

Naruto gathered his chakra in his hands as he charged his Rasengan. Once the rotating orb was formed, Naruto charged towards Kakashi, who mimicked Naruto's actions. The two met with an explosion as their jutsu clashed against each other. Both shinobi jumped back once both their jutsu destabilized and exploded. Naruto tried to keep his guard up, but there was too much smoke and debris blocking his vision. He didn't know how it happened, but he was suddenly lifted off his feet and now tied to a post.

Naruto groaned as he realized he had lost. "This reminds me of our bell test, ne, Kakashi-sensei…?"

Kakashi appeared to the side of him and gave his patented eye-smile. "That it does, but you did much better than before, and you were on your own this time. You've improved greatly, but there is still a lot of room where you could be better," Kakashi said as he switched into lecture mode.

"When I used my Chidori, I held back on it and I also left my whole right side open. Instead of going for it, you wanted to overpower my jutsu. The problem was you overestimated how much chakra you put into your Rasengan. This caused a stalemate in our jutsu, and you let your guard down afterwards, which is why you are currently tied to the post," Kakashi pointed out some other flaws in the fight, but he also praised Naruto on his ingenuity and quick thinking.

"So we're going to take a quick break, then I want you to try to cut that waterfall," Kakashi told Naruto as he cut him down from the post.

Naruto landed with an oof but didn't do anything besides giving Kakashi a slight glare. "What will we be doing afterwards, Kakashi-sensei? Are we going to learn more Wind Style jutsu?"

Kakashi shook his head sadly, "Sorry, Naruto, I actually don't know many Wind Style jutsu. After you master your element a bit better, though, I'm hoping you'll try to introduce it to the Rasengan."

Naruto's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates once Kakashi mentioned that. "Is…Is that even possible?"

"Well, theoretically, yes, it is possible…the Rasengan is actually an incomplete jutsu. Your father wanted to introduce his own element into the Rasengan, but he was never successful. Jiraiya-sama also tried, but he was also unable to do it. Even so, I have a feeling that you'll be able to do it," Kakashi said with the utmost confidence as he patted Naruto on the head.

"What makes you say that, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked. He was quite touched by Kakashi's confidence in his abilities, but he wanted to know why.

Kakashi looked up towards the Hokage monuments and his eyes rested upon the Yondaime Hokage's face. "It has always been my belief that the previous generation will always be surpassed by the newer one. You've been growing by leaps and bounds, Naruto, so I know that one day you'll surpass all, even your father."

"Thanks Kakashi-sensei…I'll make you and dad proud!" Naruto exclaimed as he ran over to the waterfall.

"You already have, Naruto…" Kakashi whispered with a smile.

* * *

><p><strong>6 Hours Later<strong>

* * *

><p>"Are you still alive, Naruto?" Kakashi asked as he poked the panting boy with his foot.<p>

Naruto just groaned in response. While he was trying to cut the waterfall, Naruto had at least 50 clones revisiting the leaf cutting exercise while another group of clones were doing chakra exercises. It definitely wasn't the brightest of ideas to dispel them all at once…

"All right, let's go, wouldn't want to worry your wife now, right?" Kakashi joked as he hoisted Naruto onto his back.

It didn't take long for Kakashi to arrive at the entrance of the Hyuga Compound. He greeted the two guards with a nod of his head. The guards responded in kind and allowed Kakashi to carry Naruto in while giving him directions to his room. Kakashi thanked them as he walked towards Naruto's room while telling the occasional passerby that Naruto was all right. Kakashi chuckled to himself at seeing the normally stoic Hyuga walking up to him and asking if his charge was all right. Naruto hadn't been there long, but he was already making an impact.

Kakashi finally found the right room just in time to see Hinata walk out of it with a freshly dressed Minato in her arms. Her eyes widened in shock as she looked at Naruto's haggard appearance.

"Whoa, now, Naruto is all right. We were just training and you know how Naruto enjoys training himself into the ground. Knowing him, he'll be up in about an hour," Kakashi said quickly before Hinata had a chance to overreact.

Hinata sighed in relief and opened the door so Kakashi could place Naruto on his bed. Naruto groaned loudly once his back hit the mattress. He cracked his eyes open slightly and saw Hinata's worried face looking down on him. He remembered his conversation with Inoichi and wanted to say something to her.

"Hina…talk…commit…I…you," Naruto drowsily .

"Shhh, you need to rest, Naruto-kun," Hinata said gently as she stroked his cheek.

Naruto gave a hum of protest as he tried to say something, "You…talk…important."

Hinata smiled gently before kissing Naruto's forehead. "You can tell me what you want to talk about after you wake up. I'll be here when you do."

Hinata started to hum a gentle tone which made it even harder for Naruto to stay awake. He finally relented and fell into a deep exhaustion-induced sleep.

He felt himself floating in a sea of nothingness until the dreadful sense of falling wrapped around him. He landed in front of the same crossroad from his previous dream.

"_Well at least I didn't have to wander around for hours before getting here…"_ Naruto thought dryly.

Naruto took one look at the silhouette with the glowing red eyes before giving it the finger and walking down the other path. Naruto immediately noticed the difference as the fog started to clear up. The trees seemed to gain more life with each step Naruto took while the clouds seemed to clear up to reveal a star-filled night sky. A sense of serenity washed over Naruto as he continued down this path.

"_I can't believe I turned this down before…"_ Naruto thought as he continued to scan around the revived forest.

Naruto noticed that this path was more confusing than the other one, though. It had more turns and branches while the nightmare path was quite linear. He didn't know where he was going, but he was letting his instincts guide him. He was rewarded when he arrived in a moonlit clearing with a beautiful figure standing with her back to him.

"Hello, Naruto-kun," the maiden's melodic voice echoed in the clearing.

"Hinata-chan?" Naruto whispered as the figure turned around to show the lovely Hyuga dressed in a formal purple kimono with violet embroidering and sash.

The moon shone down on her which gave her pale skin and eyes an ethereal glow. He was so wrapped up in her beauty that he almost missed the small bundle in her arms. Minato was staring right at him with a happy smile on his face as he cuddled up closer to Hinata.

"Come join us, my love…" Hinata's voice seemed to echo in the clearing yet it was said as softly as a whisper.

Naruto felt like he was in a trance as his feet glided towards his woman and his son. It felt like an eternity before he was standing directly in front of Hinata. She smiled at him, and her eyes shone with happiness and love. Naruto mirrored his smile before wrapping his arms around her and giving her a kiss on the lips. Naruto enjoyed the feeling of her lips on his, but he pulled back and placed a light kiss on top of Minato's forehead since the boy was whining about being sandwiched again.

Naruto was about to say something until the white light of the moon turned red. He looked up to see the Sharingan imprinted on the moon. Naruto looked at it defiantly but felt something squeeze his hand. He looked down to see Hinata's hand inside of his as she stared back at the moon with just as much defiance that he was expressing before. Naruto looked behind him and saw all his friends materialize behind him with fire burning in their eyes. All of them looked at him expectantly, but he also understood their message.

"_**We're with you, Naruto!"**_

Naruto smirked, but he felt a weird tugging feeling inside his head. Before he knew it, the moon and clearing were gone as well as everyone else as a white light enveloped his sight.

"No, Minato-chan! Your Tou-chan needs his rest!" Hinata's voice and scent flooded his senses.

Naruto cracked his eyes open to see a pair of curious lavender eyes staring back at him. Minato was sitting on his chest while his hands were wrapped around Naruto's blond bangs that were framing his face.

"I'm sorry, Naruto-kun, I thought he was sleeping," Hinata apologized as she scooped Minato up into her arms.

Naruto just smiled at her before gently pulling her down on top of him as he sat up on the edge of the bed. Hinata eep'd and blushed furiously but did not protest. Naruto wrapped his arms around her while resting his hands on top of hers while rubbing light circles on her soft skin with his thumbs.

"Hinata-chan…do you remember what you told me last night?" Naruto whispered softly into her ear.

Hinata shivered in pleasure and released Minato, who slid down her side and into the center of the bed where he just looked at his parents curiously.

"I remember I said I loved you…" Hinata whispered back while her face turned a darker shade of red.

Naruto smiled and placed a small kiss on the nape of her neck, which elicited a small moan from Hinata. Naruto memorized that specific part and her reaction to being kissed there for future reference. "I meant after that…when I hesitated to say it back…"

Hinata frowned a bit but replied, "I said I wanted you to say it when you were surer…I didn't want you to force yourself to say it if you didn't really mean it…"

"Hinata, I want to say it now…"

Hinata's head snapped towards Naruto's. He wore a serious expression, but his eyes were soft as he gazed upon her. Hinata's heart started beating rapidly as she stared back at her love.

"When you said you loved me…that was the first time anyone has ever said that to me ever that I could remember. You know I grew up alone so I never had anyone close to me. Inoichi told me that I mentally made a barrier to block people out so they couldn't hurt me. You slipped past that barrier yesterday, and that scared me…but now, I never want to let you go. I'm still scared about what might happen in the future with us, but being with you will be worth it way more than being scared of what ifs," Naruto said vehemently.

Hinata was gaping like a fish with a healthy blush on her face. She stopped when Naruto gently held her face with his hands. He brushed his thumbs over her soft lips as he stared into her eyes.

"I love you, Hinata Hyuga…I can't bear the thought of being without you," Naruto said strongly as he dove in for a passionate kiss.

Hinata responded with the same amount of vigor as she kissed him back. She couldn't contain the tears of joy that ran down her face. They finally separated after a few more moments and were panting heavily.

"Naruto-kun, you don't know how happy you've made me right now." Hinata smiled as she rested her hands over her heart.

"It's probably only a fraction of how happy you've made me. I love you," Naruto replied as he hugged her.

"I love you, too." Hinata hugged back as the both of them looked down to see Minato clapping his hands together.

"We love you, too, Minato-chan," they both said in unison as they sandwiched Minato between the two of them.

Naruto smiled and laughed happily as he heard Minato's cute whines, but then he suddenly frowned. He couldn't help but feel he was forgetting something…

* * *

><p><strong>Korean Barbecue<strong>

* * *

><p>"Where is that dense idiot? He better not have forgotten about meeting us here!" Ino screeched and paced in front of the building.<p>

Shikamaru sighed as he stared at his troublesome teammate, "Naruto, you better be here soon for your own sake and possibly my eardrums…"

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter End<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>So the plot continues to move! I apologize for the dark imagery but it was for the sake of advancing the plot. How was the NaruHina fluff? Was it too soon to drop the L-bomb? Was it believable enough or not? Don't hesitate to leave your opinion, I read all your reviews and take them into account – for all those wondering, yes, Kushi and Uzu will be reunited and SOON-ish…I was wondering if I should show a small scene to show what's going on with them or would you rather wait for them to be fully united so it won't seem like I'm teasing you guys with them?<strong>

"**So, Minato-chan, how many days have I gone without a significant injury!"**

**Minato, who is dressed in a chibi pumpkin costume, holds up a card with the number 30 on it.**

"**Sweet, a full month so far! Wait…where did you get that costume?" **

**Anyways happy early Halloween everyone! I hope you guys have a safe yet bountiful one!**

**Thanks to hinatasgreatestfan for beta reading this chapter!  
><strong>


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer**: "I don't own _Naruto_

"Normal"

"_Thoughts"_

"**YELLING or JUTSUS**"

**"Demon talk**"

"_**Demon Thoughts**_"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Father to a Blond Hyuga<strong>_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 14<strong>_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Korean Barbecue Restaurant<strong>_

* * *

><p>Shikamaru leaned casually against the wall of the Korean Barbecue Restaurant while watching Ino pace furiously across from him with bored eyes. The whole situation was so troublesome to him, but his other blonde companion would say he would think everything was troublesome...and she would probably be right.<p>

"…So…how long has she been like that?" Temari asked from her position next to Shikamaru.

Shikamaru and Temari continued to observe Ino as she kept up her furious pace while mumbling threats against a certain blond-haired Genin who was currently running late.

"…Since the moment she learned how to walk…" Shikamaru deadpanned, which earned a chuckle from Temari.

"UGH, where are they?" Ino screeched as she turned towards her two companions.

"You should calm down, Ino-san. It has only been 15 minutes. I'm sure they are on their way." Temari tried to sooth the angry Yamanaka.

"You should listen to Temari, Ino. I'm getting tired just watching you walk back and forth," Shikamaru said with a lazy shrug of his shoulders.

"I'm surprised you can breathe without getting tired since you're such a lazy-ass," Temari joked, which caused Ino to giggle a bit.

"Troublesome blondes…" Shikamaru muttered underneath his breath, but Ino and Temari both heard him.

"Who are you calling troublesome, you lazy asshole!?" Ino and Temari yelled at the same time.

Shikamaru looked up towards the night sky and wondered what deity he pissed off to deserve this punishment.

"I see some things haven't changed while I was gone," a voice said, drawing the trio's attention.

Standing across from them were Naruto and Hinata, the latter holding Minato. Naruto and Hinata were dressed in silk kimonos. Naruto's was black with orange linings while Hinata's kimono was purple with lavender linings. Minato was dressed in an infant-sized blue kimono, but the sleeves were still too long for his short arms. The family walked up to the trio and greeted them with a smile and a wave.

"YOU'RE LATE!" Ino yelled out, which startled Minato, who buried his head into Hinata's shoulder.

For some reason, Naruto felt more amused than apologetic after Ino's reaction. Maybe this was one of the reasons why Kakashi was always late…it was quite humorous to see Ino acting like a raging bull.

"Sorry, we just lost track of time," Hinata apologized as Minato peeked out from Hinata's shoulder before hiding again.

Ino gushed at Minato's shy behavior, and even Temari had to restrain herself from going gaga over the baby. She was a serious Kunoichi and would never be caught dead acting like that! At least that's what she told herself…

She glared at Shikamaru, who was looking at her with a smirk. That didn't deter Shikamaru as his smirked widened.

"You got something to say, lazy?" Temari asked menacingly.

"Nope, just surprised to find a woman underneath all that…" Shikamaru gestured towards her body.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?! Of course I'm a woman underneath my clothes you pervert!" Temari yelled as she was about to clobber Shikamaru with her fan.

"I meant your tough exterior, you troublesome woman," Shikamaru explained as he backed up with his hands held up. He also had a light blush on his face from thinking of what was underneath Temari's clothes…

"Why don't you two find a nice dark alley to make out in?" Ino's taunting voice broke Temari out of her murderous frenzy by thoroughly embarrassing her and Shikamaru.

"What?! I would never kiss this lazy good-for-nothing jerk!" Temari shouted as she pointed towards Shikamaru. The rest of the group couldn't tell if her face was red from embarrassment or anger.

"Like I would ever want to date a woman like you…you are way too much of a pain in the ass, like my mom," Shikamaru replied with a faint blush on his face.

"Oh, what the hell is wrong with me?!" Temari asked indignantly.

"Can you guys stop flirting for five minutes?" Ino asked, which caused Shikamaru and Temari to glare at her.

"We are not flirting!" both of them yelled at the same time.

"So…what _are_ you doing here, Temari?" Naruto asked in an attempt to break the awkward tension.

Temari straightened up before taking a deep calming breath, "I'm here as an ambassador for Suna. The lazy prick and I were chosen to proctor the next Chunin Exams in three months, and I'll be here until it's over."

"I'm also her guide to the village in the meantime. I wish I never made Chunin. It's way too much work," Shikamaru chipped in.

Naruto laughed at Shikamaru's lazy attitude and so did Hinata and Minato. When everyone turned to the giggling baby, Minato stopped laughing and buried his head again into Hinata's shoulder. Naruto shook his head before lightly ruffling Minato's hair while Hinata giggled.

"Neji told me everyone had made Chunin while I was gone, but he obviously didn't know what was happening in Suna. So how are Gaara and your other brother…uh…the one with the make-up?" Naruto asked, and he thought he faintly heard someone say "its war-paint!" in the wind, but he brushed it off as his imagination.

"Make-up boy, A.K.A. Kankuro, is a Jonin like me. Gaara, though...he's improved the best out of all of us, and it's thanks to you, Naruto. He took the words you said in the forest to heart and has really tried to become a better person. He's our new Kazekage now," Temari stated proudly.

Naruto was surprised that Gaara was able to turn from a murdering psychopath to someone his people could trust enough to lead them. "I'm surprised...but I'm really happy for Gaara. I know he'll be a great Kazekage, maybe he'll be the best there ever was."

"Well, how about you, Naruto? Ino has told us you've been quite busy since you have been gone, and that little baby seems to confirm things," Temari asked mischievously as Naruto and Hinata blushed.

"That's…personal…" Naruto replied slowly as Hinata nodded in agreement from beside him.

"Don't bother, Temari-san. Those two are tight-lipped about it. They're no fun at all." Ino pouted as she dragged the small family into the restaurant. Shikamaru and Temari followed close behind.

Naruto noticed that all his friends were seated in a private booth. Kiba looked older and slightly more feral looking. He had traded in his fur-hooded coat for a leather jacket and matching black pants. His Canine companion, Akamaru, was seated next to him. What shocked Naruto was that the tiny puppy was now a gigantic beast. He still looked as friendly as ever though. On the other side of Kiba was someone Naruto guessed to be Shino. The man wore a large coat and goggles that hid most of face. The only reason Naruto thought it was Shino was because he heard a low insect hum coming from the man.

Next to Shino sat Team Gai. Tenten and Neji were dressed the same as they were the day before when Naruto saw them. Lee was still dressed in his neon green spandex suit. The only difference was that he wore a Chunin vest over it now, like Gai-sensei.

Choji sat across from Lee. The large Akimichi had changed his appearance the most compared to everyone else. Choji had grown his spiky brown hair out until it reached the middle of his back. He had traded in his green jacket for a red overcoat with metal plates on the chest and shoulder areas. He still held that peaceful "jolly giant" feel about him, but maybe because he was currently eating almost all the meat on the table grill.

All the idle chatter ceased as soon as Ino dragged Naruto and Hinata to the front of the table. The ones who hadn't seen Minato before were gaping at the young couple. There was an awkward silence as Choji, Kiba, Lee, and Shino tried to sort out their thoughts.

Finally it was Kiba who broke the silence. "Yo, Naruto, I thought you mastered the Shadow Clone Jutsu? That mini one isn't going to fool anyone!" he joked as he pointed at Minato, who was fascinated by Akamaru.

Naruto snorted before fist bumping Kiba and saying hello to the rest. "He's not a clone, Kiba. This is my son, Minato."

"Yeah, Ino told us about him, but hearing about it is completely different than seeing in person," Kiba commented as Minato reached out to pet Akamaru.

Akamaru licked Minato's cheek wholeheartedly, which caused a squeal of laughter to erupt from the baby. Hinata giggled before taking a napkin and wiping the drool off Minato as she took her seat next to Naruto. Naruto smiled serenely as he looked at Minato and Hinata before he looked at Shino, who was cleared his throat.

"It is good to see you, Naruto-san, and you as well, Hinata-san. It feels like it has been ages since we all have seen you two," Shino said in his usual monotone voice.

"Yeah, Team Kurenai hasn't been the same since you decked that asshole in your clan. I still say it's bullshit you got in trouble for that!" Kiba yelled but felt five death glares on him.

Neji, Tenten, Ino, Hinata and Naruto were staring daggers at him while Hinata had her hands over Minato's innocent ears.

"I would appreciate it if you would refrain from using such language around my nephew next time, Kiba-san. Infants his age are quite impressionable and I'd hate to see him pick up such…uncouth behavior…I would close the perpetrator's throat with a Juken strike so he wouldn't be able to talk again…" Neji said menacingly.

Kiba paled and nodded his head. "Yeah…uh…sorry, I forgot there's a kid with us. I won't curse around him."

"You'd better not; if my son's first words were one of those, I'd have to kick your behind all around Konoha," Naruto replied.

"I'd like to see you try, Naruto! We haven't been sitting on our 'behinds' while you were gone," Kiba challenged as both boys smirked at each other.

"YOSH! The flames of our friendship still burn brightly! I too wish join in on this!" Lee announced as his eyes lit up in excitement.

Naruto shook his head good-naturedly. It was nice being back with all his friends. He looked to his side and saw Hinata was also smiling as Minato played with his chopsticks.

"I don't get it…" Kiba mumbled in confusion. He was staring intently at Minato.

"What don't you get?" Naruto asked as the rest of the table turned to Kiba and Naruto's conversation.

"I don't get how this baby can be so adorable when you are as ugly as sin! It must be all of Hinata's genes," Kiba joked and broke out in laughter along with the rest of the table since they knew Kiba was joking.

"You're one to talk, Kiba! You look worse than the crap you used to roll in back when we were Genin, and, as I recall, Akamaru used to shower more often than you!" Naruto replied.

"Hey! I shower regularly _now_! Plus the women love my rugged good looks. I even got a date tomorrow, top that!" Kiba challenged.

Naruto stared incredulously at Kiba before shrugging his shoulders and wrapping his arm around Hinata's shoulders and pulling her closer to him. Hinata blushed, and Naruto raised his eyebrow challengingly towards Kiba.

"Touché," Kiba grumbled while the rest of the table laughed.

"I see you found the Kimono I left for you, Naruto," Neji commented as he looked at Naruto's attire.

"Yeah, I did; thanks, Neji. I also got your…note…" Naruto said with a snicker as he pulled out a note and handed it to Neji.

Neji looked over his note before his eyebrow started to twitch from irritation. He was about to rip it up when Tenten snatched it away from him and looked it over. She started to snicker before erupting into full-blown laughter, which drew everyone's attention.

"What's going on, Tenten-san?" Choji asked as he surprisingly stopped eating.

Everyone looked confused, except for Neji, who was trying to get the note back, and Naruto, who was grinning like a Cheshire cat. Neji was about to grab the note when Tenten threw it to Ino, who looked it over before laughing as well. She then started to read it out loud,

"Naruto,

I have taken the liberty of choosing your attire for this evening since you have yet to choose more suitable attire to represent the Hyuga Clan. I'd greatly appreciate it if you wore this while out with Hinata-sama and my nephew. I wouldn't want people to think you were a common street thug while you are with them. _I think you would look totally fabulous in it as it really shapes around your butt. Of course you look fine anyways and I have no sense of fashion. Pardon the large stick up my ass and enjoy your time with my sister. Also, Hanabi-sama is the greatest ever as she promises to never tell that I use strawberry-smelling hair softener and that I shave my legs._

_xoxo Neji-chan"_

"YOSH! I didn't know you follow my and Gai-sensei's tradition of shaving our legs. You even use the same hair conditioner we use to empower our flames of youth!" Lee bellowed as tears of joy ran down his face. All Neji could do was stare at Lee's hair in horror.

There was an awkward silence before everyone started laughing uproariously, except for Neji, who was still in a mini coma.

"That was mean Naruto-kun," Hinata jokingly chided.

"What? I didn't _do_ anything. I just gave Neji his note," Naruto said with the most innocent voice he could muster.

Hinata shook her head and giggled as Minato picked up on the good mood and started giggling, too. Naruto smiled before gently patting Minato's head, which got a toothless smile from Minato.

"Hey Hinata! Can I hold Minato-chan, please?" Ino asked and snatched the baby away with lightning-fast quickness.

"I never said yes…" Hinata mumbled to herself as Naruto chuckled and kissed her lightly.

Hinata looked pleasantly surprised at Naruto's action. "What was that for? Not that I'm complaining…"

Naruto raised his eyebrow at Hinata, "Do I need a reason?"

Hinata shook her head and smiled, "No, I guess not…"

"Interesting…" Shino mumbled to himself as he watched his teammate and comrade interact with each other.

"Eh? Leave the lovebirds alone, Shino…unless…you're looking for pointers to woo your girlfriend!" Kiba exclaimed which caught Ino's attention.

"Shino has a girlfriend!? When did this happen? Do we know her? Is she okay with your clan?" Ino rattled off her questions fast as she bounced Minato on her knee.

"The youthful power of love spreads among us friends! I too wish to feel the warmth of a lover's embrace!" Lee poetically said as happy waterfall tears streamed down his face.

"Troublesome…" Shikamaru muttered as he threw a sideways glance at Temari, who did the same as well. They both looked away from each other with a light blush on their faces.

"C'mon stud! Regale us with your tale about how you seduced that waterfall ninja," Kiba joked and nudged Shino in the ribs.

Shino fidgeted uncomfortably before leveling Kiba with a withering glare, but the Inuzuka didn't notice as he was grinning from ear to ear.

"Fu-san is not my girlfriend. She is just a girl we met during our mission in Takigakure. We shared some common interests and became friends," Shino said simply, but Kiba wouldn't let it go.

"…Just…friends…? She stuck to you like glue after we got her away from those freaks in the black cloaks with red clouds," Kiba said which immediately caught Naruto's attention

"What did you say?" Naruto asked in a slightly panicked voice.

Kiba looked at Naruto weirdly before something snapped in his memory, "Oh, shit, yeah…the Akatsuki…the guys who are after you were after Shino's new friend. We ran into them chasing her and we stepped in. Shino and I are good, but we both knew we weren't good enough to fight S-rank criminals, so we distracted them with Shino's insect clones, and I hid our tracks. We barely escaped them and got her to her village."

"Why were they after her?" Naruto asked calmly as his shoulder relaxed. He had a feeling he knew why, but he just wanted to confirm it…

"Because she is like you, Naruto…" Shino said calmly.

Naruto was silent for a couple a minutes as he processed what he heard, "…What number?"

"Seven…a beetle actually…" Shino replied immediately.

Naruto gulped as he tried to say his next question, "How…how was she treated by her village…?"

Shino's aura took a darker tone before he replied, "Not well…"

Naruto grimaced at that, and Hinata took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. He gave her a half-hearted smile before turning back to Shino.

"Why is she still there, Shino?" Naruto asked.

Naruto thought he saw Shino smile slightly, but it happened so fast he thought he might have imagined it. "…Because, Naruto, she's like _you_. She is quite strong-willed and determined. She is also quite loyal to the current leader of Takigakure. I believe his name is Shibuki. He has taken a greater role in making sure Fu-san was comfortable as he sees her as a friend and a very valuable asset to his village."

Naruto snapped his fingers, "I know that guy! He was a complete coward when I first met him, though. It's good to see he's taking his new leadership role more seriously."

"Indeed, Fu-san believes he is doing a great job in her village, and he makes sure she is treated right," Shino said.

"You sure know a lot about this girl, Shino. You sure she's just a friend?" Choji joked.

"I think it's so cute! Wait, you never described her, Shino! Is she cute? Is she sexy? Does she make you hot under the collar?" Ino teased.

While Ino was distracted, Minato sneakily crawled away from her and right into the lap of a certain lazy shinobi. Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at the baby, who just looked at him with an almost pleading look. This caused Shikamaru to chuckle.

"Yeah, Ino is pretty high strung. Don't worry, I got ya now." Shikamaru lazily scooped up Minato, who started to drift off in Shikamaru's arms. Shikamaru gently rocked Minato while humming a low lullaby. It didn't take more than a minute before Minato was asleep.

Unbeknownst to Shikamaru, Temari witnessed the whole scene next to her. She was shocked how natural Shikamaru looked with a baby in his arms. He still had that bored look on his face, but he had an air of contentment around him.

"_Cute…who would've guessed he'd make a good father…WHAT THE HELL AM I THINKING?!"_ Temari shouted in her mind and shook her head violently.

"Something wrong, Temari-san?" Tenten asked.

"Nope! There is absolutely nothing wrong, and I'm perfectly okay! Hahaha!" Temari started to laugh nervously which caused Tenten to sweat-drop.

"Whatever you say…" Tenten replied before turning back to Shino, who was being badgered by Ino.

"You better tell me, Shino! I have ways of making you talk!" Ino said in a menacing tone.

"There is nothing to tell, Ino-san," Shino said resolutely.

"He's not going to tell you, Ino. He's pretty tight-lipped about it, so that's why I took these babies!" Kiba exclaimed as he took out a couple pictures of Fu and Shino doing different stuff.

Fu had short mint-colored hair and tan skin. Her eyes were colored red, and she wore a sleeveless white tank top with a fishnet shirt that ended above her navel. She also wore a fishnet skirt with a white skirt above it that went to her mid-thigh. The first photo was of Shino and Fu smiling at each other. The angle of the camera showed that the photographer took the photo discreetly. The second photo was Fu and Shino staring at a bug together with thoughtful expressions on their faces. The last photo was them snuggling under a tree while both were asleep.

"Wow, she's pretty, Shino," Tenten commented to the shocked Aburame, who just sat there, dumbstruck.

"These are awesome Kiba! We should team up! We'd make the best snoops in Konoha," Ino laughed as she looked over the photos.

"I'm very happy for you, Shino. You look very content with her," Hinata chipped in as she smiled at the happy smile on the photo of her teammate and friend.

"Way to go, Shino!" Choji patted Shino on the shoulder and held up his glass in Shino's honor.

"Your flames of youth burn brightly, my friend!" Lee said as he raised his glass.

Shikamaru and Naruto rolled their eyes playfully before raising their glasses as well. Everyone else joined in, including Shino, who decided to just take all this in stride. The conversation died down after that, and the group of friends enjoyed their meal peacefully. Shikamaru handed the still-sleeping Minato to Hinata. The infant instinctively snuggled into his mother's embrace and gave a soft coo.

Naruto smiled softly as he stared at his family. He looked at the clock and noticed it was getting late. It had been a good idea to come out and meet up with everyone...but now he had to get his family home. He looked over to Hinata and motioned towards the clock. She looked up, then nodded her head.

"Hey, guys, it's been fun catching up with you all, but it's getting late and the little guy is already knocked out," Naruto said as he and Hinata stood up.

"Aww, all right, but we'll be checking in from time to time." Ino pouted as Neji and Tenten stood up as well to leave.

"Hey, Hinata, are you gonna be rejoining our team soon? I heard you were allowed to take missions again," Kiba asked after he hugged Hinata and fist-bumped Naruto.

"I believe so; Tsunade-sama said I'll be rejoining Team Kurenai as soon as tomorrow," Hinata said with a smile as Kiba let out a whoop of joy and Shino nodded in satisfaction.

"Team Kurenai is back, baby!" Kiba shouted, which caused Minato to cry out in discomfort.

Naruto and Hinata glared at the poor Inuzuka.

"Eh? My bad…" Kiba whispered, so he wouldn't disturb Minato again.

Shino shook his head before saying goodbye to Naruto and Hinata. "Take good care of them, Naruto. Hinata is a sister to us, but she is in your care now. I believe you and she are doing a fine job with Minato."

"I will, Shino, I swear on my life I will," Naruto said seriously. Shino stared into Naruto's resolute eyes before nodding and stepping back.

"I will be escorting Tenten home. I will meet you and Hinata-sama at the compound," Neji said as he bowed and started to walk off with Tenten.

"Don't have too much fun, kiddies!" Kiba said in a purposefully lewd voice, which coincidently reminded Naruto of Jiraiya.

Neji glared at Kiba, but the blush on his face ruined the effect. Kiba laughed at that as the Hyuga couples left the restaurant.

"…Well, that was a fun night," Kiba said as he sat down into his chair.

"Indeed…though I would have preferred a bit less prying into my personal life," Shino deadpanned.

"Are you still sulking about that?" Kiba asked incredulously.

"No…but I will have my vengeance, Kiba Inuzuka…" Shino said seriously before nodding his head and walking away.

Kiba stared at the spot Shino was standing for a long moment. "That guy needs to get laid…"

Ino snorted and Choji choked a bit on the leftover meat he was eating. "So what do you think of this Fu girl, Kiba? You met her in person, so...how is she?"

"Eh? I didn't really talk to her that much. She stuck around Shino all the time, and those two would be talking for like literally hours. She seemed nice enough, but she always had her guard up…like she expected someone to attack her," Kiba recalled.

"I guess she didn't have it any easier than Naruto did, but she responded differently than him," Ino said sadly.

"I don't blame her; I've heard some sick shit is done to jinchuriki. I'm just glad Naruto never snapped like that Gaara guy," Kiba commented.

"Gaara has gotten a lot better and you know it!" Temari said with an edge in her voice. She didn't like it when people talked poorly about her brother.

"I know he has, but I still can't get those images of him killing those people in the Chunin Exams out of my head…" Kiba said with a shudder.

"Well, it's good that Naruto was able to befriend him. He turned a psychopath into a respectable Kage," Choji pointed out.

Temari sighed. She knew her brother was very unstable in the past, but he was better now. She looked over at Shikamaru, who was in his "thinking" pose.

"A ryo for your thoughts?" she asked the lazy genius.

Shikamaru opened his eyes and frowned a bit. "Did Naruto seem different to you?"

Ino raised an eyebrow at her teammate. "Of course he seemed different. He's mellowed out, and he's mature now. He has to be since he's a parent now."

Shikamaru shook his head. "That's not what I meant. He's not really mellow…he's docile. There are times where I saw him just staring into space and there is something in his eyes…I can't figure it out…it's like he's sad, but he's burying it. It's really subtle, but it is there…"

Ino was silent for second as she thought about what Shikamaru said, "Do you think…he's regretting what he and Hinata did, and he feels trapped now?"

"No, that's not it…You've seen how his eyes light up when he looks at Hinata and his son…no, the dummy is head-over-heels for her. It's something else, but I don't know what…" Shikamaru replied with a frown.

"Well, we're his friends…so he'll tell us when he's ready. I don't think we should pressure him to talk," Choji said and gave a meaningful glance towards Ino, who just huffed.

"_Naruto…why do you have to be so troublesome…"_ Shikamaru thought with a sigh.

A few blocks away, Naruto sneezed loudly. _"Someone is talking about me…"_

"Are you all right, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked softly as she adjusted Minato in her arms.

"Yeah, it was just a sneeze," Naruto said with a half-smile as he wrapped his arm around Hinata's waist. "So you'll be rejoining your squad tomorrow?" he asked curiously.

"Yes, it's been a while since I worked with them, and I missed them terribly. Are you all right with that?" Hinata asked hesitantly.

"What? Of course I'm fine with that! You're a great kunoichi, and I would never stop you from being one. I was just wondering who will take care of Minato tomorrow? Hiashi?" Naruto asked.

Hinata smiled in relief. She was slightly worried how Naruto would react about her joining back with her squad, but he was just happy that she was. "Father will be busy tomorrow. He has to tutor Hanabi tomorrow. I believe Neji-nii-san agreed to watch over Minato-chan with Tenten since Team Gai has the day off."

"I guess that's fine. Neji will take good care of him…" Naruto concluded.

Hinata was about to say something, but she was interrupted when someone ran into Naruto. She tensed a bit when she noticed the person had pink hair…

"Oh crap, I'm sorry I wasn't looking – Naruto!?" Sakura's emerald eyes enlarged once she took in the sight of her teammate she scorned years back. She immediately took a step back and hung her head slightly.

"Oh, hello, Sakura-san," Naruto replied neutrally.

Sakura winced slightly. She didn't expect him to call her name as affectionately as he used to, but she had expected him to yell at her or something. His neutral response made her feel like a stranger to him…

"Hi…um…how are you doing…?" Sakura asked hesitantly.

"I'm doing well; we're just taking our son home." Naruto motioned to Hinata and the sleeping Minato. "If you don't mind, we'll be going now."

"Wait! Before you go…I just wanted to say, I'm sorry…I said a lot of things I really didn't mean and I hurt not only your feelings but everyone else's," Sakura said sincerely.

Naruto stared at her unflinchingly for a minute before sighing, "For what it is worth, I'm sorry, too, Sakura. I called you names that I didn't mean, and I said them just to hurt you as much as you hurt me then..."

"Can we go back to how things were? Can we be friends again?" Sakura asked with some hope.

"I don't think so, Sakura…" Naruto said with a frown.

"Wait, why?" Sakura asked dejectedly.

"Let me ask you this, Sakura. Were we really friends? Did you hit any of your other friends over the head? Did you belittle them and mock them whenever you could? Did you, or was I just a special case? I forgive you for what you said back in the hospital, but I definitely don't want to be your punching bag again," Naruto said seriously.

"…I see…is there a chance we could start over and become friends?" Sakura asked dejectedly.

"…Anything is possible…" Naruto said noncommittally. "Listen, Sakura, I'll work on missions with you and I'll protect you with my life like I would for any Leaf comrade, but outside of missions, we're strangers. I won't judge you from what happened in our past, but I won't forget it, either. You'll have to work to gain my trust back and only after that can we really be anything more than just comrades."

"I see…I'm still sorry for what I said, and I will atone for it. I promise I'll gain your trust back," Sakura said seriously with determination in her eyes.

"We'll see…" Naruto said before nodding and walking off with Hinata, who had been silent through the whole conversation.

Sakura watched her former teammate walk away from her with his family. She sighed dejectedly before a figure landed near her.

"So, how'd it go?" Ino asked her friend.

"It was better than I feared, but worse than I hoped for…at least he's giving me a chance…" Sakura admitted.

"Naruto has a big heart, so I think he'll forgive you. Just give it some time," Ino said as she consoled her best friend.

"Would you forgive me?" Sakura asked.

"Haven't I already?" Ino asked sarcastically as she lightly punched Sakura's arm.

Naruto walked in silence with Hinata by his side. They hadn't said anything after their confrontation with Sakura. Naruto seemed tense, and Hinata seemed a bit unsure of herself.

Finally, Naruto sighed before asking, "Do think it's petty of me to still hold a grudge against her?"

Naruto's voice snapped Hinata out of her thoughts. She took a moment to think over what Naruto said before replying, "I don't think so…I don't think I would have been able to forgive her if I was in your shoes, Naruto-kun…It shows what a great person you are."

Naruto smiled before kissing Hinata lightly on her lips. He had to admit he was quickly becoming addicted to his pretty Hyuga girlfriend.

"Don't sell yourself short, Hinata-chan. You're probably the nicest person I've ever met, and I don't think I would want anyone else by my side," Naruto whispered to her as they walked slowly towards the compound entrance.

Hinata smiled and snuggled closer into Naruto's side. They arrived in front of the compound at the same time Neji arrived.

"Good evening, Neji. Hinata-chan told me you'll be taking care of Minato-chan tomorrow," Naruto greeted Neji.

Neji nodded before smiling slightly at his sleeping nephew. "I have agreed to take care of him. I promise Minato-sama will be taken care of. I will be meeting with my teammate, and we will be heading to Gai-sensei's favorite restaurant. After, we will return to the compound."

"That sounds good, Neji. Hinata and I trust you, and, uh, sorry about the note…I didn't think Tenten would take it," Naruto admitted with a snicker.

Neji just shook his head before bidding the couple goodnight. Naruto and Hinata headed to their rooms to change before meeting back up in Naruto's room to sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Training Ground 14<strong>

* * *

><p>"He's making remarkable progress. The wonders of the shadow clone…?" a Jonin with a senbon in his mouth asked Kakashi.<p>

Kakashi shrugged noncommittally as he observed his student under the waterfall. "There is no doubt that the shadow clone trick has hastened his advancement, but Naruto has this determination to master whatever he sets his mind to. He learned the Shadow Clone Technique in a handful of hours by himself and he learned the Rasengan pretty much on his own. Naruto is just special like that."

"How do you think he'll handle the art of sealing and the Hiraishin?" Genma asked curiously.

Kakashi looked at the Hokage monument; specifically, he looked at the head of the Yondaime.

"I think he'll have it down in half a year," Kakashi said with his patented eye-smile.

"You think he can learn it in only half of a year? It took me nearly 4 years to learn it, and that was with Yondaime-sama's help. I can only use it with the help of others, too; what makes you think he can do it?" Genma asked curiously.

"Like I said, Naruto can accomplish whatever he sets his mind to. I learned a long time ago not to doubt Naruto," Kakashi replied.

"Hmmm, you might as well call him over," Genma said with a shrug.

Kakashi nodded and called Naruto over. He threw the blond a towel while introducing him to Genma.

"Naruto, this is Genma. Genma is a Special Jonin who will be helping you learn the Hiraishin," Kakashi said.

Naruto shook Genma's hand before asking, "Nice to meet you, Genma-san. How are you going to help me, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Well I know how to use the Hiraishin. Yondaime-sama appointed me and a select few as his personal bodyguards. He taught us how to use the Hiraishin, but none of us can use it without the others."

Naruto's eyes enlarged in shock as he listened to Genma. "You were the Yondaime's bodyguard?! That's amazing."

Genma smirked and nodded, "Before I teach you, I want to learn the reasons why you want to know the Hiraishin. This technique is quite sacred to me and my comrades. I'm only entertaining the idea of teaching you because Kakashi asked me to."

Naruto looked dead into Genma's eyes before replying, "I want to know the Hiraishin so I can protect my family and my village. It's also a way for me to honor the Yondaime…he has always been my idol, and I wish to surpass him."

Genma nodded his head before replying in a neutral tone, "You know this will be a time-consuming endeavor. It may take you an upwards of 5 years just to learn how to move an inch further. I will be teaching you relentlessly and do not accept sub-par work or effort. Can you do it?"

Genma had to suppress the smirk on his face as he saw Naruto's eyes shine with determination.

"I'm ready for whatever you can throw at me. I'll learn this jutsu in less than a year!" Naruto declared boldly.

Kakashi threw a subtle smirk towards Genma, who ignored it and focused solely on Naruto. He nodded his head before motioning Naruto to sit down.

"Okay kid; let's see if you've got what it takes. Tell me, how much do you know about fuinjutsu?" Genma asked as he sat across from Naruto.

Naruto scratched his head in confusion before he remembered what Jiraiya told him. "It's the art of sealing. Jiraiya-sensei specializes in it, and it has unlimited potential. It's also very hard to master."

"Jiraiya-sama is right. Fuinjutsu isn't something you can just pick up. It's quite a difficult ninja skill that is practically nonexistent in some places. Jiraiya-sama is the only true sealing master I know of in the elemental nations. I am by far no master of seals, but I'm competent enough to use it. The Hiraishin relies on seals. For you to even attempt the Hiraishin, you need to learn fuinjutsu," Genma lectured Naruto as he pulled out a scroll before unsealing some sealing supplies.

"We're going to start with a simple seal. You're going to replicate a storage seal. They are the most basic type of seals for beginners. Here is an example." Genma proceeded to draw a storage seal and left it out for Naruto to copy.

Naruto spent the next ten minutes trying to copy the inscriptions on his seal before handing it over to Genma. Genma's eyes enlarged in shock at what he saw.

"I gotta say, kid, this is the _worst_ storage seal I've seen by far! It looks more like chicken scratch than writing," Genma stated as he threw away the malformed seal.

"I don't get it, Genma-sensei. I know it looked a bit off, but most of it looked right, didn't it?" Naruto asked as he scratched the side of his head.

"I don't think you fully understand, kid. Seals are all about how they are written. One misplaced line can turn a storage scroll into an explosive note. If you attempted to use the Hiraishin with a malformed seal, you could teleport your body parts to different locations," Genma told Naruto grimly.

Naruto winced at the thought of being dismembered by his own technique. "So how do we proceed now?"

Genma took out a blank sheet of parchment and handed it to Naruto. "Write your name."

Though Naruto was confused by Genma's command, he wrote his name on the parchment before handing it back to Genma who winced at the barely legible penmanship.

"Kid, I can barely read this…how is your handwriting this poor?" Genma asked seriously.

Naruto looked down before clenching his fits, "No one would teach me how to write when I was younger so I had to learn on my own. The teachers in the academy wouldn't correct it, either; they'd just fail me until Iruka-sensei tried to help me. By then, I couldn't care less about it and never tried to fix it."

Genma sighed before rubbing the back of his bandanna, "Damn, this made things a lot more complicated…okay, the first step is going to be improving your penmanship. After that, we'll be working on seals."

Naruto sighed before nodding his head. He had a feeling this was going to be a long day…

* * *

><p><strong>Hyuga Compound<strong>

* * *

><p>Naruto sighed as he slumped down onto his bed. His training with Genma was completely frustrating. All he did was write the same kanji, but his 30th attempt didn't look any better than his 1st. Genma said he had made some progress, but he wasn't an academy teacher. He expected Naruto to learn it from someone else and come back to him once his handwriting was passable. Kakashi said not to let that get him down and helped him with his elemental manipulation.<p>

Naruto decided to skip dinner tonight and just take a hot shower to relax his muscles before going to sleep. Hinata understood he had a long day and just kissed him lightly before taking Minato to the dining room. He didn't know how long he was asleep until he felt the bed shift. He cracked his eyes to see Hinata's startled eyes looking back at him.

"I'm sorry, Naruto-kun; I didn't mean to wake you," Hinata whispered apologetically.

Naruto just cracked a tired smile before pulling Hinata close to him and falling back asleep. Hinata laughed lightly before snuggling up to Naruto and falling asleep as well. A couple of hours passed before her eyes popped open. Minato had started crying for some reason. Naruto was still asleep through it. It must have been because of his exhaustion. Hinata gently removed Naruto's arm around her waist before sitting up and going over to her crying son.

Minato's cries softened once he saw his mother, but he was still sniffling. He reached his tiny arms out for Hinata, who promptly took him into her arms.

"Let's go somewhere quiet so we don't disturb Daddy, okay?" Hinata asked rhetorically as she walked out of the room.

Hinata walked through her maze-like house for a couple minutes before she arrived where she wanted to go. She stepped into the courtyard, which was bathed in moonlight. She walked across the neatly trimmed grass and stood in front of the koi pond that was next to her mother's garden. She had always taken care of her mother's garden since she passed away, but Hanabi would help her now.

"This is my favorite part of the compound, Minato-chan. When I was just a little older than you, my mommy would take me here, and we would look at the flowers and fishes. She would have loved to meet you…" Hinata trailed off sadly as Minato stared at the moonlit pond.

The baby squealed when a fish leapt out of the water. He buried his head into Hinata's chest in fear.

"It's okay, sweetie. No one will hurt you as long as I'm around. I promise." Hinata giggled lightly before kissing Minato on the crown of his head.

Minato settled down before watching the fireflies hover in the air. He reached out for one, but it flew away from him. He tried to reach out again, but Hinata held him tightly so he wouldn't fall out of her embrace. Minato whined cutely but was silenced by Hinata kissing his cheek. Hinata started to hum a quiet lullaby her mother had sung to her. It didn't take long before Minato fell asleep. Hinata smiled gently before looking at her mother's garden.

"I hope I'm making you proud, Mother…I wish you were here so much…Hanabi is growing into a smart strong lady like what you hoped for, and I finally have the love of my life by my side. Even Father has lightened up. He still grieves for you when he thinks no one is looking. We all miss you and love you…" Hinata whispered into the wind as she let a stray tear escape.

Hinata felt a warm breeze caress her. She couldn't help but smile a bit. "I know you are still looking out for us. One day we'll meet again…hopefully not too soon, though…"

As Hinata walked away from the courtyard, she felt something was off. She quickly activated her Byakugan but didn't see anything out of place. She shrugged her shoulders before walking back to Naruto's room.

"That was close, she almost saw us," a figure said as he leapt back onto the roof. His comrade reappeared by his side.

"She's not bad looking, you know. Maybe we can take her, too," the second figure said in a lewd tone.

"Shut the fuck up, you idiot! She's the heiress of this clan. Our employers specifically said not to do anything to her. Out target is the child," the first figure replied angrily.

"Pfft, you're no fun. Why didn't we just grab the bastard now? It was just him and that bitch down there," the second figure asked bitterly.

"Our employer said it has to be done away from the compound. We have to wait for the right moment to strike. We'll continue to tail them and the blond guy as well. Once we have an opening, then we'll strike," the first responded like he was talking to a five-year-old.

"Whatever, let's do this soon and get paid. I got the itch, and I need to get it scratched soon," the second figure replied before disappearing back into the shadows.

"…I hate working with that sick fuck…" the first figure mumbled before leaping into the forest next to the compound.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter End<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>AN oh no, what's in store for Naruto, Hinata and Minato? :o**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. As you can tell I'm taking some deviations from canon. Fu is alive in this fic and will play a part later. I hope you liked the interaction with the rest of the Rookie 9. About Naruto's poor penmanship, does anyone know how long it would realistically take to change your style of writing? I know a friend of mine who still can't write legibly with a pen so he has to type all his documents. **

**What a week it has been, I had finals all this week and it was my mother's birthday on the 11****th****. I won't tell you guys her age though in fear of being whacked with a frying pan :P**

**I'm officially on Winter Break now and hopefully I can get another chapter out soon. Happy holidays everyone!**

**Please leave a review, right Minato-chan?**

***Minato dressed up as a mini santa (fake beard and all) holds up a list***

**What do you mean I'm on the naughty list?! **

**D:**

**Thanks to Hinatasgreatestfan for beta reading this chapter.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer**: "I don't own _Naruto_

"Normal"

"_Thoughts"_

"**YELLING or JUTSUS**"

**"Demon talk**"

"_**Demon Thoughts**_"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Father to a Blond Hyuga<strong>_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 15<strong>_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hyuga Compound: 1 week later<strong>_

* * *

><p>The sound of panting and flesh hitting wood echoed through the empty dojo. Hiashi stared impassively as Hanabi went through her katas. It was obvious that the young Hyuga was tiring since her movements were sluggish and her accuracy was waning.<p>

"Do it again once more, Hanabi." Hiashi commanded.

"Y-Yes, Father…" Hanabi panted out before catching her breath and repeating her 32 palm strike.

She lashed out as quickly as her exhausted arms would let her. Thankfully, she struck each point flawlessly even in her fatigued state.

Hiashi nodded his head before motioning for Hanabi to sit, which she did, gracelessly. Her body begged her for a small break, and she was too tired for etiquette. Let it be known that Hiashi Hyuga was still a taskmaster when it came to training even if he had lightened up in his personal life.

"You have done well, Hanabi. At this pace, you will be able to perform the advanced form by the end of this week," Hiashi complimented.

"Thank…you, Father..." Hanabi said between breaths.

Hiashi nodded his head before standing up. "You have two hours before the academy begins. Clean yourself up and make sure you have breakfast before you leave."

"You won't be joining us, Father?"

Hiashi shook his head, "Unfortunately I cannot. I have a council meeting to attend to in an hour."

"I'm surprised Tsunade-sama would call a meeting this early. I didn't see her as a morning person…" Hanabi trailed off.

Hiashi sighed before smirking slightly. "She isn't. Shizune-san schedules these meetings this early on purpose to put Hokage-sama in a bad mood so no one wants to mess with her."

"That's quite conniving…I like it!" Hanabi said excitedly.

Hiashi merely shook his head again. "Please wake up your sister and Naruto after you freshen up. I will see you later this afternoon after your classes have concluded."

Hanabi nodded before heading to her room. She spent half an hour in the shower before getting dressed and walking over to her future brother-in-law's room. She peeked inside and sighed in a faux-exasperated way.

Naruto was sleeping peacefully with one arm covering his eyes while Hinata was cuddled up to his side, but she was awake. Hinata was slowly moving her finger across Naruto's broad chest in a random pattern while just committing every detail to her memory. It still seemed beyond belief that her dreams had come true in such a short time. She was actually scared that she would wake up and find out it was all one amazing dream on certain nights. If it was a dream, she didn't wish to wake up from this.

Hinata squeaked a bit when Naruto's arm tightened around her waist and pulled her more into him. She looked at his face and saw him smirking at her, but his arm was still over his eyes.

"That's kinda distracting when someone is trying to sleep," Naruto purred into her ear.

Hinata shivered at the sound of his voice but replied, "I'm sorry, I'll stop…"

Naruto moved his arm away from his eyes and placed it over Hinata's smaller one before retracing her pattern she drew into him, "Please don't."

Hinata blushed but didn't comment as she started redrawing the pattern on Naruto's chest with his hand over hers.

"How long have you been awake?" Naruto asked while nuzzling his cheek on the top of Hinata's head.

Hinata giggled at the feeling but replied, "I haven't been up that long…"

"Liar…you've been doing drawing on me for at least 20 minutes," Naruto said kindly.

"Wait, you were awake, too? Why didn't you say anything?" Hinata asked curiously.

"I was enjoying your touch." Naruto said with an embarrassed look on his face.

Hinata felt like her face was on fire from the blush on her face. She knew she should be used to this kind of loving treatment from Naruto, but he was just too sweet at times.

"W-we should g-get out of bed," Hinata stuttered.

"There's that cute stutter of yours. I've missed it," Naruto replied with his lady-killer smile.

Hinata looked away before trying to get out of the bed. She let out a startled squeak when Naruto pulled her back in. She landed softly on his lap as Naruto wrapped both arms around her waist and started to nuzzle her neck.

"Where do you think you're going…?" Naruto whispered huskily.

"We h-have to g-get ready. We can't l-lay in b-bed all day…" Hinata stuttered out.

"We could…" Naruto suggested.

"No…w-we can't…" Hinata countered.

"Do you really want me to let you go?" Naruto asked.

"Y-Yes," Hinata replied.

"Really?" Naruto started to place butterfly kisses around Hinata's neck.

Hinata had to bite back a moan when Naruto hit her pulse point, "Naruto…"

"Do you?" Naruto asked again.

"…No…I don't want you to let go…" Hinata admitted.

Naruto smirked before jumping when Hanabi kicked the door open. Hanabi just stared at the two with a bored expression before she walked over to Minato's crib and picked the awakened baby up.

"Come on Mina-chan. Let's go to the dining room. If you stay here any longer you'll develop diabetes from your parents' lovey dovey sweetness or see your future brother or sister made," Hanabi cooed before walking past the embossed duo.

"Carry on," Hanabi said cheekily before closing the door.

Naruto and Hinata sat awkwardly on their bed with the same thought in their heads, _"Dammit Hanabi…"_

Naruto sighed before rubbing the sand out of his eyes, "I guess we should get ready now…"

"...Um...sure…" Hinata said in a relieved and disappointed tone.

The mischievous glint in Naruto's eyes returned before he leaned over and kissed Hinata passionately on the lips. Hinata let out a muffled "eep" before slowly kissing back. She wasn't sure how long they were kissing, but Naruto left her breathless afterwards. Naruto smiled at her before kissing her again on the forehead and walking out of the room.

"_It's not fair that he can affect me like this…" _Hinata thought with a pout. She dazedly walked to her room and started a very cold shower.

Hinata arrived at the dining room in her standard attire 30 minutes later. Hanabi was playing with Minato, who was in his booster seat. Naruto was just walking back with two bowls of cereal and a bottle of milk.

Naruto handed the bowls to the Hyuga sisters before heading back into the kitchen. He came back with a plate of buttered toast.

"So…should I expect more nieces and nephews?" Hanabi teased before taking a bite of her cereal.

Naruto blushed lightly but didn't comment while Hinata sputtered in indignation, "Please don't say such things, Hanabi. I get it enough from Ino…"

Naruto frowned a bit before hiding it, but Hinata saw it. Hinata sighed before reaching over the table and grabbed his hand. Naruto sighed before he started to rub his thumb on the back of Hinata's hand. Hinata smiled and squeezed his hand in response.

"I don't mind Ino badgering me about us, to be honest. I know it's hard not to tell them the truth, but you shouldn't force yourself if you're not ready, Naruto-kun," Hinata said gently.

Naruto nodded numbly, but he continued to look at their intertwined hands, "They deserve to know the truth…but I just can't. Inoichi has been coaching me through it, but every time I think back to that day…I keep seeing Uzushiomaru and Kushina…I couldn't even repress it anymore when I told the Hyuga council and Tsunade. Inoichi said that's an improvement…I can't bottle it up anymore, so I have to deal with it, but it hurts more…It still hurts knowing that they are gone and I couldn't save them."

"It's always going to hurt, Naruto, but you have us to help you with it. I know my big sister would do anything to make you happy and you've had this happy aura around you. You don't have to do it alone," Hanabi stated before turning back to her cereal.

Naruto and Hinata smiled slightly. "Thanks, Hanabi, I appreciate what you said."

"No problem, just make sure you give me another niece or nephew to spoil," Hanabi teased.

Hinata sighed but smiled thankfully nonetheless, "So are you going to tell them, Naruto?"

"I'll try…if you're by my side…" Naruto agreed hesitantly.

Hinata's smile enlarged before she got up and kissed Naruto on his cheek, "I'll always be right there, Naruto-kun."

"I didn't know I was having cornflakes for breakfasts…" Hanabi joked before taking another spoonful of cereal.

"Dah! Dah! Dah!" Minato cheered loudly.

"I hope you don't grow up to be a hopeless romantic, little one," Hanabi said as she tapped Minato's nose.

Minato just giggled in response. Hinata had pulled away from Naruto by that time and was frowning at Hanabi with a slight blush on her face. Hanabi just rolled her eyes in response.

"Hey don't look at me like that! You guys act like a cheesy romance novel most of the time! I swear Konohamaru and I won't be like that," Hanabi said to Hinata.

Naruto's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "So you're actually dating Konohamaru now?"

Hanabi shrugged before replying. "Well, technically, no…but with all the lessons Anko-sensei is teaching me, it'll only be a matter of time! Well, that's what she said anyways."

Naruto and Hinata gave each other an uneasy glance before turning back to Hanabi. "I don't think Anko is the best person to listen to, Hanabi."

"Why not? She hooked up with Iruka-sensei, so she must know what she's talking about," Hanabi countered.

"Anko-san's methods are a tad bit…extreme…don't you think?" Hinata asked.

Hanabi just waved off Hinata's concerns, "Maybe, but they do produce results. Kono-kun won't even know what hit him!"

Naruto and Hinata stared at Hanabi as she laughed manically while Minato giggled and clapped at Hanabi's over-dramatic behavior.

"Well, I got to go now or else I'll be late. Bye Mina-chan! See ya Naruto and Nee-san. Don't molest each other in public; you've got rooms to do that stuff in," Hanabi said as she left the table.

"She sure does live up to her name." Naruto said with a slight grin.

"Yeah, she does…so…um, about this morning…" Hinata trailed off with a massive blush on her face.

Naruto grinned sheepishly while rubbing the back of his neck, "I'm sorry about that, Hinata-chan…I got caught up in the moment. I know we haven't been together that long, but I've never been in a relationship before so I'm not sure what's appropriate to do…"

"It's okay, Naruto-kun…I liked it, but I think we should take it slow before we become more…intimate…" Hinata replied while looking at her fingers.

"Okay, I agree with you. So what are your plans for today?" Naruto asked.

"I'm probably going to do some missions with my team. Kurenai-sensei says we might take a C-rank mission in the next few days. She's been easing me into our normal rotation," Hinata replied.

"That's good. Kakashi-sensei said I was close to mastering the waterfall exercise so the next step is to apply it to the Rasengan. He's also been showing me some other jutsu and tactics. I even mastered the shunshin," Naruto said with a hint of pride in his tone.

"That's great Naruto-kun," Hinata said with a smile before lifting Minato out of his booster seat. "Are you ready to go with Neji-jisan, sweetheart?"

"Dah!" Minato nodded while waving his arms up and down.

"Actually, I'll be looking after Mina-chan today. Kakashi-sensei gave me the day off and Inoichi-san had a council meeting. It'll be just a father-son day I guess," Naruto said with a smile as he scooped up Minato from Hinata.

"So, what do you have planned, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked.

"Eh…I'm not much of a planner so we'll be doing whatever is available. We'll probably watch one of those kiddy films Tsunade-kaa-san got us," Naruto said with a shrug while Minato played with Naruto's necklace.

"Okay, well, I have to go now as well. I'll see you later, Naruto-kun and Mina-chan," Hinata said as she kissed Minato's forehead and Naruto's cheek.

Naruto smiled a loopy grin before walking off with Minato to the living room.

* * *

><p><strong>Hokage Council Room<strong>

* * *

><p>"…And that is why we propose expanding the merchant district," the civilian counselor concluded his speech before sitting.<p>

"While you do bring up a good point, Councilor Hao, we cannot and will not tear down part of the Uchiha Compound to accommodate this expansion," Homura explained diplomatically.

"I see, but may I ask why? The remaining Uchiha brothers have abandoned our village. Should either ever return, Itachi would be executed while Sasuke would be imprisoned for his crimes. The land itself is falling into a state of dilapidation from neglect, and it would benefit the village as a whole to either remove it or use it," Councilor Hao countered.

"What is the price to turn our backs on one of our founders? It is true that the Uchiha brothers will never be able to reclaim their funds or the compound, but that does not give us the right to trample over the past Uchiha who served the village faithfully. It is this same argument we use to preserve the Senju Compound and the Uzumaki Temple on the outskirts of the village. They serve no purpose since Tsunade-hime chooses to live in the Hokage Tower, but they are a reminder of our roots and should remain a staple to our village," Koharu explained.

"I see, thank you for listening to my proposal." Councilor Hao bowed before sitting back down.

"Is that everything for today?" Tsunade asked in a slightly annoyed tone. She really hated waking early for these meetings.

"There is one thing I'd like to bring up. I believe Naruto Uzumaki has returned to the village along with a child…he has also reportedly been staying at the Hyuga Compound. How did this happen?" one of the councilors said.

Tsunade gritted her teeth before glaring at the civilian councilor, "He has and we are not here to discuss the personal life of one of my shinobi."

"That may be so, Tsunade-hime, but you have removed him from the active shinobi roster. I believe we are entitled to know about that," Danzo spoke for the first time during this whole meeting.

Tsunade knew she was backed into a corner now, _"I'm sorry, Naruto, but it looks like I'll have to tell them…"_ "Naruto suffered a rather traumatic event while he was away from the village. Jiraiya brought him back to have his mental status evaluated. Upon hearing what happened, I took Naruto off our roster and assigned Inoichi as his therapist."

"What happened to him and what about that baby? I can't imagine he actually did it with Hiashi's daughter and still has his balls attached," Tsume Inuzuka commented.

She glared at the Ino-Shika-Cho trio when they snickered. "Look who's laughing! We all know your wives wear the pants in your relationships and keep your balls in their purses." That quieted the trio immediately.

Tsunade sighed before rubbing her head, "Naruto was captured by an unaffiliated group and was subjected to different types of torture and experiments for the nearly a full year…"

The room was deathly quiet as they processed what happened, "What did they do to him?" Someone asked.

Tsunade grimaced as she remembered how Naruto told her every detail. "They caused mortal injuries to force the Kyubi chakra to heal him and then they would siphon that energy off him to use in their experiments."

A few councilors looked slightly green while others were worried about the mental welfare of the Kyubi container. They were scared he would snap and go on a rampage if he was truly unhinged after such an experience.

"What did they do with the Kyubi's energy?" Danzo asked curiously.

"Tsunade sighed remorsefully before saying, "They were trying to replicate the Byakugan…I don't have any notes about how they were able to do this. I sent Jiraiya back to where they were holding Naruto to find any evidence or research notes. Until then, all I can say is that they were successful…"

"You mean that child is…" Koharu trailed off.

Danzo leaned forward on his cane as he listened intently to all that was going on. This was truly fascinating to him since, if he played his cards right, he might be able to sway the Kyubi boy and his spawn to his side.

"The child is a healthy young boy. Despite his 'birth', he is completely human and has the Byakugan," Tsunade stated as she pulled out Minato's medical chart and passed it around.

"We should kill it! It's an abomination!" Someone screamed but was immediately silenced by two potent killing intents.

"I dare you to say that again…" Tsunade said calmly, but her hands had just crushed her desk into splinters from the force she was exerting upon it.

"Councilor Chung, if you ever dare call my grandson anything like that again I will liquefy your brain and make sure to bankrupt every business you own. Do not dare insult the Hyuga Clan again or else you will see why we are the strongest in this village in both military might and financial power," Hiashi replied coldly. His silver-tinged eyes were as cold as ice as he stared at the stupid councilor who threatened his grandson.

"H-How can you d-defend that thing? It's not natural!" Chung pleaded to his other councilors, but they all looked away from him or avoided his look.

"Natural or not, he is my grandson. He has my blood running through his veins, and I will not stand for your offensive slurs against him. I personally take it as an offense to me specifically and my clan as a whole," Hiashi stated while he continued to glare at Chung.

"We're getting off topic here. I want to know more about this group who abducted the Uzumaki. Was he not in the care of Jiraiya-sama?" Shibi Aburame asked.

"Jiraiya was currently…indisposed when Naruto was captured. As for the group, we have a feeling that it was funded by Kumogakure, but we don't have enough evidence to accuse them. All we have is circumstantial evidence," Tsunade stated.

"Maybe we should bolster our borders with Lightning Country. This is the third incident with them, and we have yet to retaliate. They probably see us as pushovers since Sarutobi bent over backwards to appease them," Danzo commented.

Hiashi stiffened when the whole incident concerning his brother was brought up, but he had no other visible reaction. What Danzo said did have merit, seeing as his clan was the one subjected to Kumogakure's diabolical schemes, but the war-hawk always had an aura about him that Hiashi didn't trust.

Tsunade nodded her head in agreement, "We will not take this laying down, but we can't provoke them either. An increase of border patrols will likely draw their attention, but they won't attack us. I agree with this suggestion, anyone else?"

Tsunade looked around and saw the majority nod their head, "Okay, we'll be increasing our patrols. Is there anything else left to discuss?"

"There is one more thing I wish to bring up. I propose that we test the child to see if we can replicate the results, whatever the costs," Danzo announced.

The room fell deathly silent as Hiashi and Tsunade glared frigidly at Danzo. If Danzo was affected by the combined killing intent, his visage and body language didn't show it, though he seemed slightly paler.

"What did you say?" Hiashi and Tsunade asked in the same menacing tone.

"…What those researchers did was groundbreaking. They created life! Imagine if we could recreate this, then we would have an army of clones fighting our battles for us! They would replace the casualties we would normally suffer and it wouldn't be any consequence. What is the loss of one clone when the benefits could outweigh the loss?" Danzo defended.

"Your first mistake was thinking that the clones weren't human. Minato is human. He breathes, he smiles, he feels, and he lives! Not only that, but this type of research is on the same level of what my bastard teammate Orochimaru did! You ever suggest doing that to my grandson again, Danzo, and I'll rip your spine out of your back and strangle you with it," Tsunade threatened.

"Grandson?" Koharu and Homura asked at the same time.

Tsunade smirked smugly at them before taking out a different pile of papers, "This is my formal request to adopt Naruto Uzumaki as my son and heir. By rules of the Shodai, I needed one noble clan and the Hokage's permission before adopting instead of putting it up to a vote with the council. I obviously have both."

"Which clan gave you permission?" Koharu asked.

"Obviously, I did," Hiashi said while trying not to roll his eyes at the silly question. The truth was each clan on the shinobi side gave the okay, but the rest of the council didn't need to know that.

"Why would you? I'm not familiar with your traditions, but wouldn't the child be the next clan head of your clan?" Homura asked.

"Isn't it obvious? Not only will it bring prestige to my clan when Naruto marries my daughter, but Minato has the backing of the founder's clan even if that is only Tsunade-hime at the moment. The name carries much more weight and protection," Hiashi explained calmly.

"No one would dare going after the Hyuga-Senju heir, and, if anyone tries...well, we'll deal with them…now that everything has been sorted out, I'm calling this meeting over. Oh, and, by the way, if anything we discussed here is leaked to the public, I will hold everyone in this room accountable and have them executed for treason," Tsunade said casually.

Koharu paled considerably before sputtering, "Y-You can't do that!"

Tsunade leveled the old woman with a deadly glare, "I can and I will! I don't know how Sarutobi allowed you to leak Naruto's status as Jinchuriki all those years ago, but I will not stand idly by and watch history repeat itself with my grandson. I am not like the old man and I'm not above killing any one of you if you defy me."

The civilian side started to sweat before nodding their heads swiftly. The shinobi side was calmer about it, but they nodded their heads in agreement as well. Tsunade looked around the room before nodding her head and ending the meeting. The Civilian council nearly tripped over themselves as they tried to get out while the Shinobi side walked out in an orderly fashion except for Hiashi.

"Ugh, it's too early to be dealing with this shit," Tsunade grumbled.

"It is, but we did secure the protection of our grandson along with showing the council that you are no pushover, Tsunade-hime," Hiashi said politely.

Tsunade cracked her back which caused Hiashi to look away. Tsunade smirked at Hiashi's gentleman-like behavior. She knew if her super perverted teammate was in Hiashi's position, he would have buried his face in her cleavage which would have caused her to punch him into the Rikudo Sennin Era.

"Enough of that '–hime', we're pretty much equals anyways, Hiashi. I also agree with you we did secure some protection for Minato-chan, but we also drew a large target on his back. Not only that, but now there are people who are going to worry about Naruto's mental status. The shinobi side hid it well, but I could see the concern in their eyes. They are going to tread on egg shells around Naruto so he doesn't 'snap'," Tsunade explained in a concerned tone.

"Naruto is a strong young man; I believe he can handle it. We should trust him, Tsunade-sama," Hiashi stated.

Tsunade sighed before nodding her head. "Yeah, I should trust the brat now. He is my son after all."

"Indeed. When will you tell Naruto that it is official?" Hiashi asked curiously.

"I was thinking maybe tomorrow night. It would be a good excuse to see Minato-chan, too. The brat never brings him over to see me," Tsunade said with a huff which got a chuckle out of Hiashi.

"I'm sure Minato-chan will be thrilled," Hiashi commented.

"Of course, we make the best grandparents ever! C'mon Hiashi, high five! Go Team Grandparents!" Tsunade raised her hand while grinning a reasonable facsimile of Naruto's trademark smile.

Hiashi stared blankly at Tsunade's offered hand before looking at her Naruto-esque smile. Did he just see the light reflect off her teeth? "…No…"

* * *

><p><strong>Hyuga Compound<strong>

* * *

><p>Naruto could easily say he was enjoying his day off with his son. Being with Minato seemed to relieve all the frustration he was feeling at his lack of progress concerning fuinjutsu. He didn't want to concern anyone, but he was feeling quite annoyed with himself for not getting it, even though it was a difficult craft, and he had only been doing it for a week. At least he had almost finished his wind manipulation training and would be trying to implement it into his Rasengan soon.<p>

Naruto was snapped out of his thoughts when Minato squeaked in his lap. He looked down to see the little baby trying to imitate the lion cub named Simba in the movie they were watching. Like Simba, Minato couldn't roar, but it was cute to see him try.

"Don't worry, little guy. One day, you'll be roaring like your old man." Naruto grinned down at Minato and poked his belly.

The father-son duo was watching the Lion King VHS that Tsunade had lent to Naruto. Naruto had never seen it before, but he had to say he was enjoying it. Simba reminded Naruto of himself and the music was catchy. Naruto actually caught himself humming "Can't Wait to Be King".

"Umm… Naruto-san…I hate to break it to you, but you're not old," Hana, the Branch servant he met before, answered.

Naruto noticed just waved off Hana's comment, "I might not be old, but I feel a lot older than I am."

Hana laughed at Naruto's comment before turning back to the laundry she was folding. Naruto asked if she would like any help, but she declined. When Naruto insisted, she asked if he really wanted to fold women's laundry, which stopped Naruto in his tracks.

Minato tugged on Naruto's shirt when he saw Simba cornered by the Hyenas. Minato was actually getting worried until Mufasa jumped in and saved the day.

"See that, little guy? Mufasa is a good dad and he'll always be there for Simba like I will be for you," Naruto stated, but he missed Hana cringing a bit.

"Naruto-san…have you ever seen the Lion King before?" Hana asked hesitantly.

"No I haven't. Why do ask?" Naruto asked curiously.

Hana felt conflicted if she should spoil what was going to happen next, but she decided not to. With a quick excuse, she left the room with the now-folded laundry.

"Huh, that was weird…" Naruto shrugged his shoulders before turning back to the movie.

Naruto started to get a bad feeling when he saw Scar "preparing" whatever plan he had in mind, but he ignored it until the stampede scene. Both Naruto and Minato were sitting on the edge of their seats, in Minato's case on the edge of Naruto's lap, as Simba dodged the incoming animals. Naruto fell back in shock as Scar betrayed his own brother while Minato actually cried out. Naruto felt himself tearing up as Simba tried to wake up Mufasa in vain.

"_Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry…"_ Naruto repeated over in his head, but he felt a tear roll down his cheek.

"Dammit…" he whispered while he tried to console Minato who looked like he was about to burst into tears himself.

"H-Hey, it's okay…It's going to be okay, little one," Naruto said as Minato snuggled closer into Naruto and cried a bit.

Naruto was able to calm down Minato in time for Simba to meet up with Timon and Pumbaa. For some reason, the odd duo reminded Naruto of Shikamaru and Choji. It became more apparent when he found out their catch phrase.

"_'No worries for the rest of your days?' Yeah, that sounds like Shikamaru's paradise,"_ Naruto thought with a smirk.

A couple more scenes passed before Naruto heard someone approaching him. He looked back to see Hinata coming towards him.

"I'm home," Hinata greeted with a smile.

"Welcome home, Hinata-chan." Naruto smiled at her but looked confused when he saw Hinata's face.

Hinata looked concerned when she looked at Naruto; his eyes seemed a bit puffy, and he had a tear trail on his face, "Naruto-kun, are you okay?"

"Huh? Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Naruto asked.

"You look like you were crying," Hinata pointed out while she ran her thumb over the dried tear trail.

"Oh! Um… that was just from the movie…" Naruto admitted, though he was kind of embarrassed to admit it.

"Oh…the stampede scene…even my father cried during that, though he'll never admit it." Hinata giggled.

Naruto had an incredulous look on his face. He couldn't imagine Hiashi actually shedding a tear, but then again, you would have to be completely heartless to not cry at that scene…

"Oh! I love this part!" Hinata said giddily as she sat next to Naruto and snuggled into his side. She rested her head on top of Naruto's shoulder and placed her hand on top of Minato's head. The small family watched Nala and Simba sing about love which caused Naruto and Hinata to sneak glances at each other. It was about half an hour later before the main fight between Scar and Simba was going on. Naruto was surprised to see Simba try to save Scar after everything Scar did to ruin his family and life, but Scar tried to take down Simba which led to his own downfall.

"_Scar reminds me a lot of Sasuke…"_ Naruto thought with a grimace.

Naruto noticed that Minato and Hinata had fallen asleep on him. He sighed before getting comfortable since he wasn't likely to move until they woke. Unfortunately, he tensed up when he heard some snickering from behind him. He craned his head to see all his friends looking at him while Kiba and Ino were taking picture of the cute scene.

"What are you guys doing here?" Naruto whispered.

"Hinata invited us over. She said you had something important to tell us. Oh! Are you guys getting married?!" Ino squealed.

Minato and Hinata made a sound of discomfort before snuggling more into Naruto. Naruto glared at Ino, which caused her to take a step back.

"Geez, I thought Minato-chan got that glare from Hinata, but I guess I was wrong…" Ino said in a quieter tone.

Naruto rolled his eyes before motioning everyone to sit. Neji gave Naruto a concerned look, but he just waved it off. Naruto took one last look at Hinata and Minato before letting out a deep sigh.

"What I'm going to tell you guys isn't easy for me to say, but you are all my friends and deserve to know the truth…" Naruto said in a low tone that everyone barely heard.

"What is it, Naruto? It can't be that bad…" Choji questioned.

Naruto looked away for a second before turning back to his friends. They all gasped when they saw the pain and anguish in his eyes. His face was set in stone, but his eyes told a story of pain that made some of them want to look away.

"No, Choji, it's pretty bad…" Naruto spent the next half an hour explaining all that happened to him as well as why he hid it in the first place. His friends just listened on in shock. Finally, he concluded his tale and waited to see their response.

Surprisingly it was Shikamaru who made the first move, "Damn, Naruto…how are you still sane?"

Naruto chuckled humorlessly, "I ask myself the same question sometimes. To be honest, I think Hinata and Minato are the only reasons I haven't tried to kill myself yet…"

"Don't say that, Naruto! You have plenty to live for," Ino pleaded.

"Like what Ino? Most of this village hates me, I have a group of S-rank Missing Nin after the stupid fox inside of me, Sasuke is running around with that Snake Freak Orochimaru, and that bastard Huriko is still out there doing kami knows what," Naruto muttered bitterly.

"Well, when you put it that way, it does sound pretty bleak…" Kiba said while rubbing the back of his head.

"Shut up, Kiba!" Ino screeched before she punched Kiba over the head.

"Ow! That hurt!" Kiba wailed.

"It should have, you insensitive jerk!" Ino retorted.

"I'm not saying I don't feel for the guy, but even you have to admit he's not skipping through a meadow at the moment," Kiba retorted.

"Guys, calm down. Naruto, I know it's been tough, but you do have us as well looking out for you. We may have not shown it that much, but we do value you as a friend and a comrade," Shikamaru stated.

"He's right, Naruto-kun! As Gai-sensei says, you must fan the flames of youth for your compatriots before they are snuffed out! Let us fan your flames!" Lee nearly shouted, but he was being mindful of the sleeping duo attached to Naruto.

"Err…what Lee said…but with less flames and youth…" Tenten said.

Naruto cracked a small smile, "Thanks, guys, I appreciate that."

"Were you really scared that we wouldn't accept Minato-chan?" Shino asked.

"Or that we would think less of you for getting caught? If anything, I want to tear those jack-offs' throats out for what they did to you. No one messes with our pack!" Kiba stated while Akamaru barked in agreement.

Naruto sighed before nodding his head, "I know it sounds silly now, but I couldn't bear the thought of you guys looking down at Minato like that. As for the other part, I didn't want you guys to pity me. I can't stand that look. I'd rather see those villagers glare hatefully at me than pity me…"

"It is understandable, but I would like to know, what would you have done if we didn't accept Minato-chan?" Shino asked curiously.

Naruto shrugged his shoulder, "That would have been the end of our friendship then. If you can't accept my son, then you can't accept me. If someone was to threaten him, or Hinata, I would kill them regardless of the consequences."

The group looked around at each other nervously before Ino said, "Don't you think that's a bit much, Naruto?"

"Ino, I already lost my other son and daughter…I won't let anything take Minato or Hinata away from me. I don't care if it was the Fire Daimyo himself, I'd fight to the death for either of them." Naruto said resolutely.

"You really love them, don't you, Naruto?" Neji said.

"I do…" Naruto replied.

Shikamaru stood up with a long groan, "I think we speak for everyone when I say, you are one troublesome blond, Naruto…but you're our troublesome blond. We got your back and Minato's as well."

"Thanks Shika, I appreciate that." Naruto and Shikamaru bumped fists.

Soon, everyone left, leaving Naruto in the same position he was in when they had first arrived.

"I knew you could do it on your own…" Hinata whispered into Naruto's ear.

Naruto jumped a bit before turning his head to see two lavender pools staring back at him, "How long have you been awake?"

"Long enough…I'm so proud of you, Naruto-kun," Hinata stated before kissing his cheek.

Naruto blushed before resting his head on Hinata's. "I'm exhausted…"

"I would imagine you would be. It's quite taxing letting go of all that," Hinata commented.

Naruto hummed in agreement before laying back on the sofa. They just sat peacefully like that until Hinata broke the silence, "I have a C-rank mission tomorrow. I'll be away from the village for at least a week."

"I see…be careful, okay?" Naruto told her.

"I will be. What's the worst that could happen?" Hinata asked.

Naruto grimaced before replying, "On my first C-rank, I got poisoned by the Demon Brothers and fought an A-Rank Missing Nin from Kirigakure while overthrowing a greedy business tycoon."

Hinata rolled her eyes before lightly tapping Naruto's forehead, "I'll be okay, I promise."

"Okay…"

"...You want to talk about what you said before?"

"…" Naruto shifted uncomfortably, but he didn't say anything.

"It's okay…you don't have to. I'll be here if you want to talk about it," Hinata said kindly.

"…I don't know…It's like I can only feel like my old self around you and Minato. Shikamaru said he noticed something a week ago. I don't like feeling like a bipolar around our friends, but that's really how I've been acting lately. It's frustrating, to be honest. Huriko-teme did more than torture me. He stole who I once was. I can't be the Naruto I once was, even if I try," Naruto said. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration before looking back at Hinata.

"Hiruko could never take what makes you who you are, Naruto-kun. You might not have the same idealistic view as you did before, but you're still driven to protect all those who are precious to you. He can't take away your determination, Naruto-kun. Only you can give that up and I know you haven't. You're still the same man I love, even if you are a bit jaded now," Hinata explained as she ran her hands through Naruto's hair.

"How do you know I'm still the same?" Naruto asked curiously.

Hinata blushed a bit, but she said, "I can feel it in the way you hold me at night. It's tight and protective. I see how you still hold that childlike innocence about you when you talk to Minato-chan or play with him. I could feel the fire in your voice when you said you'd protect Minato-chan and me. These are all the qualities that made me fall for you, Naruto-kun. You haven't changed as much as you think. I think you've just lost your mask to hide behind."

Naruto didn't say anything afterwards. There was nothing he could say after that, but he did feel his love for Hinata increase as he pulled her into his embrace.

* * *

><p><strong>The Next Day<strong>

* * *

><p>"Be safe, daughter, I expect you to represent the Hyuga Clan to its fullest," Hiashi stated.<p>

"I will, Father. Farewell," Hinata replied with a bow.

Hiashi took a cursory glance around before patting Hinata gently on the head. Hinata smiled at her father's sign of affection. She knew she wouldn't hear a full declaration from him since he still needed to maintain his stern appearance, but his subtle gestures meant the world to Hinata.

Hinata turned to Naruto and Minato, who looked like he was about to cry. She picked up Minato and kissed him on the forehead.

"Don't worry, my precious Minato-chan, I'll be back before you know it," Hinata stated before giving Minato back to Naruto.

"Listen to your mom, kiddo. She's the brains of the operation," Naruto joked before kissing Hinata lightly. "Be safe…"

Hinata nodded before smiling lightly, "I will, I promise."

Naruto smiled back, before watching Hinata walk out of the compound. He turned to Hiashi, who was looking at him curiously.

"You seemed to have lost some weight off your shoulders," Hiashi stated while glancing at Naruto's straighter posture.

"You could say that, I guess. I actually have to meet Kakashi-sensei now; can you watch Minato-chan, Hiashi-sama?" Naruto asked.

Hiashi shook his head, "Regretfully, I cannot. I have to go over the budget with some of the other elders of the clan. I wouldn't be able to watch over him."

"Darn, I guess I could ask Neji again…" Naruto thought out loud.

"My grandson is actually with his team right now. I wouldn't mind looking after my great-grandson if that would be okay with you, Naruto-san. I don't believe I've had a chance to spend time with him since he arrived," Hisaki Hyuga said as she strolled into the courtyard.

Naruto looked down at Minato, who was staring at Hisaki with curious eyes. Naruto shrugged before turning to the elder. "I would appreciate it, Hisaki-sama."

"None of that –sama stuff, please. You are my granddaughter's future husband, so you can call me baa-chan," Hisaki said with a laugh.

Naruto felt a sweat-drop form on the back of his head. He still remembered how angry Tsunade got when he called her Baa-chan, but Hisaki seemed okay with it.

"Well, it looks like you'll be spending the day with your baa-chan today, little one. Behave, all right?" Naruto said as he waved his finger jokingly at Minato.

Minato giggled before nodding his tiny head. Naruto smiled down at his son before handing him to Hisaki. "If you need me, I'll be at training ground 14."

"Train well, Naruto-san. We'll see you later," Hisaki said.

"Will you be all right, Mother?" Hiashi asked.

"You don't think I can take care of a child? I basically raised you and your brother with one hand tied behind my back. Minato-chan seems much more behaved than you or Hizashi were. I may be old, but that doesn't mean I forgot how to take care of a child!" Hisaki snapped.

"Sorry, Mother…" Hiashi apologized quickly

"Hmph, I think I'll take Minato-chan on a walk. I'll be back before lunch," Hisaki stated.

"Mother, wouldn't you prefer to stay indoors?" Hiashi asked.

"Why would I? I need to stretch these old joints anyways. You worry too much, Son. We'll be okay," Hisaki said before walking out of the compound.

"Ah, it's a nice day today, wouldn't you agree?" Hisaki asked Minato, who was cooing at the beautiful Konoha scenery.

"Dah!" Minato replied excitedly.

Hisaki giggled before continuing walking around the village. She ignored the odd looks she was getting. She looked down at Minato, who was trying to catch a butterfly that was hovering around him.

"You remind me a lot of Hinata-chan. You have this air of innocence around you," Hisaki observed.

"Dah?" Minato tilted his head to the side curiously.

"Oh, don't mind me, I'm just rambling," Hisaki laughed before poking Minato on the nose.

Hisaki walked by the waterfront before noticing that there was an eerie silence. She stealthily activated her Byakugan before tensing slightly. She looked down at Minato and smiled serenely.

"It's nap time, little one. Don't worry, Baa-chan will take care of the bad men…" Hisaki lightly tapped Minato's shoulder, which caused the boy to fall asleep.

"Come out, I know you're there," Hisaki said in her Hyuga voice.

"I guess the old hag did see us, brother," An annoying voice said as the first figure dropped down. He was a short man with dark hair slicked back. He had a psychotic grin on his face.

"Shut up…Listen, ma'am, we have no qualms with you. Hand us the child, and you are free to go." A larger figure landed next to the shorter man. Unlike his brother, this mountain of a man held a grim expression. His hair was much shorter than the other man, but his was also slicked back. He also had a scar running across his right eye. On his back was a rather large headsman ax.

What caught Hisaki's attention the most was their forehead protectors. They were from Kumo...

"I see the infamous ax brothers of Kumogakure are here for my little great-grandson. I must say you are far away from your home…well, you could say you have been away for the last…10 years or so?" Hisaki commented.

"9 years actually…9 years, 11 months, 3 weeks, 6days, 12 hours, 54 minutes, and 32 seconds, but who's counting?" the shorter brother replied.

"Eh, close enough…" Hisaki replied back.

"Enough, we haven't been to that hellhole Kumo in years, and our current employer is only concerned with the child. Don't make this harder than it should be," the larger figure stated before taking his ax off his back.

"Please choose the hard way, I haven't killed someone in ages," the shorter figure said.

"Hmph, I heard that you were thrown out of Kumo for failing to assassinate the current Raikage," Hisaki commented.

"Tch, the bastard is lucky he had those two damn demon bodyguards with him. Well, I heard he's only got one now. Apparently the blond bitch got caught by some other group. Too bad, I would have loved to 'tame' that hellcat," the man grinned sadistically.

"You make me sick…" Hisaki sneered at the man.

"Why thank you, I try," he shot back with a mock bow.

"Enough, Tounyuu. I am sorry, ma'am, but you leave us no choice," the hulking figure said.

"Oh this is going to be no fun, Ono. She looks like a gust of wind will break her bones," Tounyuu complained.

"You do have a choice, Ono-san. You could return back from whence you came. I don't know how you got in this village, but if you remain here any longer, you will be incarcerated," Hisaki pleaded to the more levelheaded brother.

Ono shook his head almost sadly, "I'm afraid that is not an option. We've come too far to back down now."

Hisaki sighed sadly before sliding into her gentle fist stance. She was at a disadvantage since she had to hold Minato with one arm. Tounyuu wasted no time throwing his tomahawks at her, but Hisaki gracefully dodged them.

"Well it looks like the old hag can still move without throwing her back out," Tounyuu commented.

"Please take this seriously, Brother. We can't afford to waste any more time," Ono said in a commanding tone.

"Why don't you go get her then, you dumb oaf?" Tounyuu sneered.

Ono shook his head before moving towards Hisaki, who was dodging another barrage of throwing axes. Hisaki ducked low as Ono's decapitating ax soared above her head. Ono was deceptively swift for such a large man with heavy armor on. Hisaki ducked inside Ono's guard and struck the tenketsu in his shoulder. Ono felt his arm go numb, and he dropped his ax. He gritted his teeth before backhanding Hisaki.

"Tch, I can't believe you let that old bat hit you. She's not even using one of her arms for Kami's sake," Tounyuu taunted.

Hisaki rose up shakily before looking down at Minato. Thankfully, the baby wasn't hit. She wiped the blood away from the corner of her mouth with her kimono sleeve before she caught an ax from midair and used it to parry the second incoming ax.

Tounyuu whistled in appreciation, "Damn, that was actually pretty impressive! Too bad you look old enough to be in the Rikudo Sennin era. You were probably a looker back then, like that precious granddaughter of yours. Maybe we can go snatch her up after this is all done with. Don't worry, we'll take _good_ care of her."

"You won't touch my granddaughter or anyone else in my clan!" Hisaki said in a frigid voice.

"What are you going to do about it?" Tounyuu taunted.

"This – You are within my Range!" Hisaki swiftly leapt at Tounyuu.

Unlike his brother, Tounyuu wore next to no armor since he preferred his mobility. This unfortunately left him very vulnerable at close range. Hisaki tore through him even with just one hand to strike with. She showed surprising speed with her strikes and was able to mimic a perfect 32-palm strike with just one hand.

"Two Palms!" Tounyuu lurched forward as two swift jabs landed near his abdomen.

"Four Palms!" Hisaki started to strike the vile man's back.

"Eight Palms!" Tounyuu coughed up some blood when Hisaki struck the points near his lungs.

"Sixteen Palms!" Hisaki felt no mercy while she struck Tounyuu. This man repulsed her and even went as far as targeting her granddaughter. If anything, Hisaki felt she was going easy on him since she was still carrying Minato in her arms.

"Eight Trigrams Thirty Two Palms!" Tounyuu was blasted forward by the strength Hisaki put into her final 16 strikes. He landed in a heap nearly six meters away from Hisaki.

Hisaki panted in exhaustion. The years had eroded her stamina greatly. She didn't notice the large shadow loom over her until it was too late. She felt the wooden handle of Ono's decapitator ax bury into her side. She was flung into the opposite direction of where Tounyuu landed. Hisaki had to hold back a cry of pain when she landed roughly on her side. Hisaki noticed Ono walking towards her with his ax in his non-disabled hand. She shielded Minato under her body as he lay on the ground.

"I must commend you for effort. You even took down my brother," Ono commented as he continued to walk towards the downed Hyuga Elder.

"Why are you doing this?" Hisaki asked.

"Why? I personally have nothing against you or your clan. That fool of a Raikage almost brought a war upon us when he tried to steal your bloodline. It is a pity you took his bluff. At the time Kumo truly wasn't prepared for war and would have backed down if Konoha hadn't. I am doing this because it is what my employer wishes. It's simply business. And I am sorry you were caught in the middle of this, Elder. Now I have a question for you. Did you really expect you could take us down or did you know you weren't going to but wanted to go down in a blaze of glory protecting the child?" Ono asked curiously.

Hisaki looked up at Ono and smirked, "Neither actually. I was just buying time…"

"Time? Time for what?" Ono asked.

"For us to arrive." A squadron of ANBU landed in a defensive position between Ono and Hisaki. A second group landed near the downed Tounyuu.

Ono looked around at the ANBU surrounding him before turning back to Hisaki, "Well played, Elder…well played."

"You don't live to the age I am without knowing a trick or two. I know ANBU response time is around five minutes depending where they are. ANBU are to report immediately to chakra usage within the village so I flared mine to a noticeable level when I noticed you two following me," Hisaki explained.

"I see…well I guess I have no choice but to surrender," Ono said in a resigned tone before dropping his ax on the ground and placing his hands behind his head.

"Take him to Ibiki. Take his brother to the prison wing of the hospital and make sure you have guards posted around him at all times until he is healed enough," the ANBU commander announced.

The ANBU members nodded their heads before doing as they were told. The commander turned to Hisaki, who was slowly standing up, "Are you all right, Hyuga-sama?"

"I've been better, thank you for showing up when you did." Hisaki nodded her head before adjusting Minato in her arms.

"Do you require any medical assistance?" a different ANBU member asked.

Before Hisaki could reply, a loud crack echoed through the clearing, "ACK, MY HIP!"

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter End<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>AN Hey guys! It's been a while, I know. Well I had actually rewritten this chapter before because the previous version didn't quite meet up to my standards. I hope you guys like this one. There were things I wanted to add, but I feel it would be better saved for next chapter. **

**I don't know why I felt like adding the Lion King scenes in this, but I thought it would be cute. I'm not gonna lie, when I meet the special someone, fall in love, get married, and have a kid, I'm going to watch Lion King with the little mini-me-or-her whenever I'm told it's my turn to watch the kid. Best interpretation of Hamlet ever! Honestly, who doesn't cry after the stampede scene?! I still do and I'm 19!**

**In 2010, my fellow author brown phantom started a poll asking the following question.**

**Who is the best Naruto fan fiction writer on this site?**

**Upon completion of that first poll I finished 52****nd**** which I thank all of you who voted for me on that poll very much. At the time, I hadn't actually written much on this story and KCY was my main story at the time so I felt privileged to be ranked that high for being essentially a rookie. Now brown phantom has decided to run a second poll asking that same question. So just do a quick search for the author, brown phantom and place your votes! You have 10 slots to pick. If I fall under one of those, awesome! I would like to thank you in advance if you choose to vote for me. If you don't, that's okay too. BP placed a lot of authors on his list and it won't break my heart if you chose some of those other worthy authors as your choice :P**

**So Valentine's Day is coming up! I spent Christmas watching Die Hard so it seems fitting that I'll be watching It's a Good Day to Die Hard then. Oh the joys of being single…What will you do Minato?**

***Minato dressed as a baby cupid with his own toy bow and heart arrows* "Dah!" **

"**You're going to use it on your mom and dad? Cool!"**

**Please leave a review!**

**Thanks to Hinatasgreatestfan for beta reading this chapter**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer**: "I don't own _Naruto_

"Normal"

"_Thoughts"_

"**YELLING or JUTSUS**"

**"Demon talk**"

"_**Demon Thoughts**_"

_**WARNING**_: _There is mentioning of torture in this chapter. The section containing it has a warning label on it so you can choose to skip it if you wish_

* * *

><p><strong>Father to a Blond Hyuga<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 16<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Land of Fire<strong>

* * *

><p>"Well that was boring…" Kiba grouched as he, Shino, Hinata, and Kurenai made their way back to the village.<p>

"Our true objective was to regain team cohesion, Kiba-san. Protocols dictate that we were required to finish at minimum ten D-Rank missions before being allowed to leave the village again once a teammate has returned. Be thankful that Kurenai-sensei and Tsunade-sama both thought it would be a waste of our talents," Shino rebuffed Kiba's complaint.

"You're not complaining because we went to Waterfall Village and you got to see your girlfriend again!" Kiba accused good-naturedly.

Shino pushed up his goggles with his middle finger and index finger in irritation, "Fu-san and I are not in a formal relationship yet."

"_Yet!_ C'mon buddy! You're head over heels for her and she likes you so why don't you just go out with her?" Kiba asked.

"It's not that simple. I have to go through my clan and gain permission from my father. There is also the fact that she's a Kunoichi from a different village," Shino retorted.

"Man, you should just go for it before it's too late. I mean you guys seem great for each other! Right, Hinata?"

Kiba turned to look at his other teammate to see her looking straight ahead with an uncharacteristic frown on her face, "You alright there, Hinata?"

"Huh? O-Oh…I'm alright, Kiba-kun. I was just…I don't know. I just feel something isn't right, and I want to get home to my baby," Hinata said as an uneasy feeling pooled in her stomach.

Kiba laughed before nudging Hinata playfully, "It's only been a day and you're missing your rugrat? Or are you missing your baby's daddy more?"

Hinata blushed and averted her gaze when she saw Kiba wiggling his eyebrows jokingly. Kurenai decided to intervene on her favorite student's behalf, "That's enough, Kiba. It's understandable for Hinata to feel like this. There aren't many bonds strong than a mother and her child."

"You guys are no fun," Kiba pouted but stopped his teasing.

"I'm sorry Kiba-kun, but I can't explain it. It feels like it's been months since I saw Mina-chan, even though I know it's only been a day," Hinata explained.

"I kinda get that. That mission was quick, but waiting for the clients to finish all their paperwork was unbearable," Kiba grumbled.

"We're only a few miles away from the village, guys. Just hold it together for a while longer," Kurenai pointed out.

"Hai, sensei!" the members of Team 8 replied.

* * *

><p><strong>Konoha Hospital<strong>

* * *

><p><em>It's not a surprise so many people dislike hospitals. It feels like I've been waiting for months on this doctor to come. I took out two missing nins, only to be bested by this infernal hip….how humiliating…"<em> Hisaki ranted internally while stoically staring at the clock above her door.

Her attention was drawn to the opening door as her doctor finally arrived, "Hello Madame Hyuga. Pardon me for being so late, but it's been a busy day."

"It's not a problem, Doctor," Hisaki replied with a tight smile.

The doctor nodded before looking at his chart, "Hmm, a full break…I looked at your previous charts and saw a small hairline fracture. The stress from the fight must have caused it to break. We'll have to replace your hip with a prosthetic." The Doctor replied.

Hisaki sighed before nodding her head. "Do whatever it takes, Doctor, but can you tell me how my grandson is doing?"

"I think he's eager to see his savior," a third voiced echoed from the doorway.

Hisaki and the doctor turned to see Tsunade cradling Minato, who was clinging to one of her ponytails until he saw Hisaki. He reached out his tiny arms to the elder Hyuga woman who gladly took him, but made sure not to aggravate her injury.

"Hello little one, how are you?" Hisaki asked kindly and was greeted with happy gurgles and baby noises.

"He's been eager to see you since he woke up," Tsunade said before looking over Hisaki's chart and frowning slightly. She gave a slight nod to the doctor before dismissing him.

"I'm sure he was in good hands with you, Tsunade-sama," Hisaki replied.

"I must say it was smart thinking alerting the ANBU with chakra pulses. I'm glad everyone made it out alive, but now I need to figure out how two high classed missing-nins were able to infiltrate my village…" Tsunade said with a frown.

"I don't they could have gotten in without help. Someone sneaked them into the village in hopes of killing Minato. Whoever they are, they unknowingly signed their own death warrants," Hisaki replied with a cold edge to her voice.

Tsunade couldn't help but smirk at that comment, "They're already dead. They just don't know it yet…Not many people know about Minato and can afford to hire missing-nins. Do you think Kumo could have done it as a way to cover their tracks?"

Hisaki shook her head. "I don't think they would send their own missing-nins after us. They would have sent people who couldn't have been traced back to Lightning Country. Also, Ono and Tounyuu both expressed their disgust for the current Raikage. I doubt they would work for him. Whoever did this was either hoping we would jump for the obvious bait or is arrogant enough to believe they can't be traced back to."

"Maybe they're both…but your right, this feels more like an inside job. Both the shinobi and civilian councils know about Minato, but not many showed open disdain for him, especially after I nearly killed one for calling my grandson an abomination. I can't rule any of them out of suspicion though…"

"The Hyuga council was thoroughly divided about this little one. There were some who were calling for his death immediately. It wouldn't surprise me if one of them is behind this," Hisaki replied as her eyes narrowed.

"Wouldn't it seem odd for your own clansmen to send former Kumo-nin after our grandson?" Tsunade pondered.

"Actually, it's something I would expect someone from my clan to do. Who would imagine a Hyuga having anything to do with Kumo after what happened all those years back? Not to mention that the Axe Brothers could be a commendable counter to any Hyuga," Hisaki stated.

"Not to sound insulting, but they were taken down by an elderly woman with literally one hand tied behind her back." Tsunade replied somewhat smarmily.

Hisaki sniffed disdainfully before replying haughtily, "Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black? I may remind you that despite your Genjutsu, you're only a few years younger than me. Just because I chose to age gracefully doesn't mean I let my skills and strengths decline with my body."

Tsunade felt her eyebrow twitch in irritation, "We're getting off topic, why do you think those two were a good match up against a Hyuga."

"They don't rely on chakra. Both brothers use a type of axe. Ono has his signature executioner axe while Tounyuu uses throwing axes. It would be ill-advised to get within close range of either brother since they could remove an overextended limb in a matter of seconds. Their differing personalities could distract even the most focused fighter. Tounyuu is obnoxious, vile, and knows how to get under your skin. While he distracts you with his taunts and axes, his brother Ono creeps around the back. For a mountain of a man, he is incredibly stealthy and fast. If I hadn't had my Byukugan, he would have split me into two before I even knew he was there." Hisaki analyzed.

"Wouldn't a well-placed juuken strike disable them though?" Tsunade asked

"Yes, that's what I did to slow them down, but it didn't stop them. I hit Ono directly in the wrist with a juuken, but he was able to recover in a matter of seconds. I'm not sure if it was his armor or if his body just absorbed my strike."

"Hmm, that is interesting though it doesn't answer our initial question of who sent them." Tsunade pointed out.

"No, it doesn't but I trust our fine members of the T&I force." Hisaki commented.

Tsunade was about to agree when the hospital door slammed open.

"What the -?!"

Tsunade was knocked to the side by a pair of whirlwinds barging in the room. Naruto and Hiashi were by Hisaki's bedside and firing off worried question after question in a rapid pace. Poor Hisaki couldn't get in a word edge wise. She shot Tsunade an exasperated look which was returned by the annoyed Hokage.

"I'll take the blond one." Tsunade suggested. Hisaki nodded in agreement.

After a silent count to three, both women slugged their designated targets on the back of their heads. Both men collapsed onto the ground like marionettes severed from their strings.

"Owww!" Hiashi and Naruto groaned in pain.

Before Tsunade could interrogate the men, Kakashi appeared outside the hospital window. With another sigh, Tsunade opened the window to let the copy ninja in.

"Good day, Hokage-sama. I just wanted to inform you that Naruto ran off from practice today to see Hyuga-sama and Minato-chan," Kakashi replied.

"You're late as usual, Kakashi." Tsunade pointed towards to the two limp forms on the floor.

"So it seems…well the road of life is a harsh path to traverse," Kakashi said with his patented eye smile.

"Would you like to rest on the floor with your student, Kakashi? I'm in no mood for your quips," Tsunade replied tersely.

Kakashi held his hands up in surrender before walking over to the bedridden Hyuga, "I see Minato-chan is fine as well. I must say I was worried when I heard about the attack, but I am glad both of you are alright."

Minato looked up tiredly at Kakashi before letting loose a big yawn. Not surprising that the toddler was tired after such an eventful day. Kakashi patted the baby on the head gently before moving to help his fallen student up.

"Ugh, did anyone see the hammer that dropped on my head?" Naruto asked groggily.

"Welcome back to the land of consciousness, Naruto. If you had stayed more than a minute, you would have heard from me that Hyuga-sama and Minato-chan were alright," Kakashi chastised.

"I couldn't help it, sorry," Naruto muttered before looking towards his sleeping son.

"He's just napping," Hisaki whispered.

Naruto nodded his head before looking towards the elder Hyuga and asking, "What happened?"

Hisaki smiled softly. "Don't worry, young one. We're both fine and that's all that should matter."

Naruto was ready to protest, but Tsunade stepped in. "She's right, Naruto. I'm personally dealing with the situation. We already caught the two attackers. Ibiki and Anko are dealing with them."

Naruto furrowed his brows before sighing and nodding his head reluctantly. He jumped back when Hiashi spoke up from behind him.

"Are you alright Kaa-sama?" Hiashi asked

Hisaki rolled her eyes, "I swear I will hit the next person who asks me that question. I am _fine_. It's like none of you have seen an old person throw their hip out before…"

Somewhere in Iwagakure, an old gnome felt his hip be thrown out of place…again…

"It's not every day one of my messengers arrives frantically in my office to tell me my mother and grandson were attacked by missing-nin," Hiashi deadpanned.

"True…but they are no longer a threat." Hisaki pointed out for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Even if they aren't, I would like to understand how they managed get into our village so easily." Hiashi said with an accusing stare towards Tsunade.

"Actually, that's a good point. How did they get in, Kaa-san?" Naruto asked curiously.

Tsunade resisted the urge to smile when she heard Naruto refer to her as his mother. It wouldn't be appropriate right now. "Hisaki-san and I have discussed the possibilities of how the Axe Brothers were able to infiltrate the village. We surmised that they must have had some help from within the village…"

Naruto froze on the spot. _"Those bastards…"_ he vaguely heard his own thoughts through the violent haze of rage.

Wasn't it enough that this village despised him? Wasn't it enough that they dishonored his father's wishes every day? His son was innocent! Minato-chan wasn't even old enough to walk yet and these _**monsters**_ wanted to take his son's life?

Everyone's heads snapped towards Naruto as the room was filled with killing intent. Naruto was standing alone near the door with his head held down, yet he emitting a haze of red chakra around him.

"Naruto…" Tsunade whispered in concerned tone.

Naruto's head snapped up and Tsunade recoiled at the hurt and betrayal in his eyes, "Isn't it enough that they hate me? What could they have gained from hurting my son?! I've bled so much for this damn village and never complained about what these bastards said or have done to me, yet they want to take away my most precious person?! They've called me a monster since before I even knew what that word meant, but the real monsters are the ones staring them back in the mirror."

"Naruto, you need to calm down…" Hiashi said softly.

Naruto turned his burning gaze towards the clan head. Everyone could see the red chakra bleeding into his iris and his retina elongating into a slit. "How can I?! How can I just accept that the place I thought of as my home isn't safe to protect my son? How can I look at one of my comrades without that sliver of doubt that they'll stab me in back once I let my guard down? I tried to stay calm when Kakashi sensei said that Hisaki-sama and Minato-chan were attacked. I kept my mouth shut when you said you had it under control, Tsunade-kaa-san, but how the hell can you ask me to remain calm when the people who tried to killed my son were helped by the people I'm sworn to protect!?"

Everyone looked at each other uncomfortably before Kakashi decide to try to calm the angry jinchuuriki, "Naruto, you know you can trust everyone in this room as well as your friends. We care about you and I can give you my word that I will protect Minato-chan with my life."

Naruto looked down again and the pressure was starting to lessen in the room. Everyone let out a small sigh of relief until Naruto looked at Kakashi with a blank look.

"…Just like you promised to protect Rin for Obito…?" Naruto said dully.

Kakashi stepped back like he had been physically hit. Naruto regretted saying that to his sensei as soon as the words left his mouth, but it served to show how hollow their words rang in his ears.

"I need to get some air…" Naruto muttered before disappearing from the room before anyone could protest.

"Should we go after him?" Hiashi asked.

"I think we should give him some time to cool off…He's not thinking straight, but he still trusts us enough to leave Minato in our care…" Hisaki said gently as she stroked Minato's blond tufts.

Tsunade sighed in resignation but nodded her head. She didn't like it, but Naruto needed to be on his own right now.

* * *

><p><strong>Streets of Konoha<strong>

* * *

><p>Naruto was walking aimlessly around the village after his conversation in the hospital. He didn't know how he felt right now, but whatever it was it wasn't a pleasant feeling. He could still feel the lingering rage welling up inside of him as well as the cold dagger of betrayal in his heart when he thought someone in his village set up the near murder of his son. He felt guilt over how he reacted in the hospital. He knew Kakashi, Tsunade, Hiashi, and Hisaki were just trying to calm him down, but he couldn't think straight in there. He felt cold thinking that he managed to hurt the people who were close to him with just a few words. The worst feeling was the confusion. He was always hyper and all over the place when he was younger, but now he was emotionally all over the scale. One minute he could be happy and content while the next he can be ready to rip someone's head off.<p>

"_I think Tsunade-kaa-san's medical book had a name for this…what was it called? Bipolar disorder?"_ Naruto thought vaguely before someone shouldered him hard.

Naruto looked up to see an older man glaring at him, "Watch where you're going, demon brat."

Normally, Naruto would have just shrugged and walked away, but that wouldn't be the case today, nor would it be it ever again. Naruto was done turning a blind eye to these people.

Naruto glared right back into the villager's eyes and sent just enough killing intent to cause the man's breath to hitch.

"Maybe you should be more careful who you bump into. They just might bump back," Naruto growled back.

The man took a step back after Naruto snarled at him. Naruto's elongated canine teeth were gleaming in the afternoon sun and it looked like they were begging to rend someone's flesh from their bone. He could see boy's whisker marks darkening and his became retina became foxlike slits.

"What the hell are you…?" the man asked fearfully.

"If you don't know what I am…then maybe you should tread lightly," Naruto said lowly as his face returned to normal. There was a dangerous gleam in his eyes as he continued to walk down the populated street, glaring at anyone who looked at him wrong.

Naruto wasn't sure for how long he was walking nor was he sure how many people he had scared off by glaring at them, but he was snapped out of his trance by someone placing their hand on his shoulder.

Naruto prepared to grab the person's arm and launch them over his shoulder, but he stopped when he caught the scent of the person. The person reeked of sweat and dog…Naruto wrinkled his nose before turning around to see Kiba Inuzuka grinning back at him.

"Yo Naruto! We've been calling you for like five minutes but you kept walking around like someone shoved a stick up your ass!" Kiba said loudly while gesturing to Shino and Hinata behind him.

Naruto's frown softened once he saw Hinata's concerned face staring at him. Her eyes shined with worry over his peculiar behavior and she silently asked if there was anything she could do to help. He slowly walked over to Hinata and wrapped her up into a tight hug. Hinata immediately wrapped her arms around Naruto's waist.

"What's wrong, love?" Hinata whispered as Naruto tightened his grip around her.

"They tried to kill him…Tsunade-kaa-san and Hisaki-baa-chan think someone inside the village hired these missing-nin to try to kill Minato-chan. Hisaki-baa-chan held them off until the ANBU arrived though," Naruto said hoarsely.

Kiba growled loudly after hearing that someone would be low enough to attack an innocent child like that. Shino showed no outward reaction, but everyone could hear the agitated buzzing from his swarms inside of him. Hinata went deathly still within Naruto's grasp and became deadly silent.

"Hinata-chan?" Naruto looked questioningly at his girlfriend, but she had her head down.

"They tried to hurt our baby?" Hinata said more as a statement rather than a question.

"Yes, they tried to…" Naruto answered with a grimace.

Naruto felt Hinata grip his sides almost painfully and his chest felt slightly wet where Hinata's head was laying on.

"They won't…" Hinata said in a low whisper that Naruto had to strain his ears to hear.

"They won't what, Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked as he gently tilted her head up to look at him.

Naruto looked up and felt a weird warm sensation run through him as Hinata's tear filled lavender eyes stared back into his cerulean. Her eyes were lit with fierce determination and anger that could only come from a scorned mother looking for payback.

"They won't touch a single hair on my child's head. I'll kill them before they get a chance. I don't care who or what they are," Hinata whispered harshly.

"Damn straight! No one harms an Inuzuka's pack, especially a defenseless pup!" Kiba growled out. Akamaru barked in confirmation.

"Those who prey on infants do not deserve mercy," Shino said simply though there was a hard edge in his tone.

Naruto didn't hear or see anyone else around him. The only person was the girl in his arms. He had known her for a while, but he had only recently gotten to know her beyond the person she let other people see. He could see the fire in her eyes and feel the steel in her spine as she looked directly into his eyes. This was the strong woman he knew was in her, but she rarely let show.

Naruto lowered his head before lightly pecking her lips, "We'll make sure of it, Hime. No one will lay a finger on our son…"

To her credit, only a pretty light shade of pink dusted Hinata's cheeks. She slowly eased herself back into Naruto's embrace as they both were filled with the resolve to protect their last remaining child.

"_Kushi…Uzu…I promise Minato won't share that fate. I don't give a damn if I have to stare down the Shinigami himself,"_ Naruto silently vowed to himself.

"So, what's the plan, Naruto?" Kiba asked suddenly.

"Plan?" Naruto repeated confusedly.

"These guys who tried to kill your pup, you said the Hokage thinks someone inside the village hired them. How you gonna smoke them out?" Kiba asked while flexing his claws.

Naruto released Hinata before sighing and running a hand through his hair, "I'm not sure where to start, honestly. Tsunade-kaa-san said not to get involved, but I don't think I can sit on the sidelines for this one. Whoever ordered this assassination made it personal and I don't care who tries to stop me. I aim to misbehave."

"We're going against the Hokage's orders? Nice! Let's be bad guys!" Kiba replied with a feral grin.

"We should consult with Shikamaru-san. He will be able to form a solid plan on what little information we actually have," Shino logically suggested.

"We better go; we're drawing a lot of attention already." Hinata said softly. It was true, the streets were starting to get more packed and people were throwing random glances at the group of young shinobi.

All four of them nodded and simultaneously jumped onto the roof before heading off towards the direction of the Nara Ranch.

* * *

><p><strong>T&amp;I Department (Warning)<strong>

* * *

><p>Ibiki Morino and Anko Mitarashi were two people nobody wanted to piss off. When the Hokage wanted information, those two could get it at whatever the costs. It didn't matter if their target would be scarred mentally for life or had a sudden and incurable case of ophidiophobia. Torture was considered a necessary evil in the shinobi lifestyle. Information was too valuable to let morals get in the way. Faulty information could easily get a whole squad killed while good information could save the numerous lives. It has always been a "means justify the ends" case concerning torturing for shinobi villages. What's the life of one spy compared to village security? While Konoha preferred not to physically scar their prisoners, it doesn't mean they're not willing to get their hands dirty.<p>

Anko and Ibiki looked on impassively as two of their subordinates went to work on their latest victim. The first Chunin tipped over the victims chair while the other placed a rag over their victim's face. There was a short pause where the second Chunin said something to the bound victim. Obviously not liking the answer he got, the Chunin proceeded to pour a bucket full of water slowly over the rag on top of the victim's face. The victim thrashed against his restraints and the first Chunin had to hold down the man's legs before he inadvertently got kicked in the face. This process continued for another full minute before the second Chunin stopped pouring. The two Chunin repeated this process about 5 times before deciding to see if their captive would be more talkative. The first Chunin placed the bound man back upright in his chair and took the rag away to reveal the smiling face of Tounyuu, the younger axe brother.

Tounyuu's obnoxious laughter grated against Anko's and Ibiki's ears.

* * *

><p><strong>(Warning: Over)<strong>

* * *

><p>"He's one tough son of a bitch; I'll give him that…" Anko said with a shrug.<p>

"Tough or not, The Hokage wants names immediately. He and his brother went after her grandson and she's willing to overlook anything we do as long as we get their employer's name." Ibiki grunted.

"I guess the kiddy gloves are coming off. We get anything from the bigger one?" Anko asked as she looked at a separate interrogation room.

Ibiki shook his head, "Nothing useful. He shrugged off the electricity clamps like they were mosquito bites."

Anko rolled her eyes, "Of course he did! He's from Kumo they specialize in lighting shocks and all that bullshit. I doubt our machines can generate anything higher than a low B-rank Raiton jutsu. Have you tried anything else?"

Ibiki sighed before rubbing his forehead, "We've tried mental torture and blunt force trauma. He just shrugged them off. We tried having Inoichi get in their minds, but to no avail. The big one has iron clad mental defenses while the little shit over there is just a maze of chaos and disorder."

"So where do we go from here?" Anko asked.

"Inoichi said he could probably get past their mental blocks, but it could take months and I don't want to be the one to break that news to the Hokage. She's out for blood, not that I blame her."

Anko hummed in agreement, "Well I guess I'll go give a crack at it."

Anko silently crept into the room just as the disbelieving Chunin exited. Tounyuu was still laughing uncontrollably so he didn't notice the new torturer standing behind him.

"Was that all you pussy rubbing tree hugger got?! I thought this was supposed to be torture, not a shower! HAHAA" Tounyuu taunted while still laughing uncontrollably.

Anko rolled her eyes before grabbing a fistful of hair and slamming Tounyuu's head into the steel table in front of him.

"_That shut him up."_ Anko thought with a smirk.

Tounyuu groaned in pain before looking around dazedly, "Never start with the head. The victim gets all fuzzy. He can't feel the next-"

Tounyuu was cut off by Anko slamming her foot directly into his nether regions.

There was an awkward pause as Tounyuu's brain tried processed which part of his body was assaulted, "See? Nothin…"

Anko rolled her eyes before sliding into the seat directly across from Tounyuu. Tounyuu shook his head one last time before looking over his new torturer.

"Well, well, well…look at this. How about we ditch this place and find a classier joint for a lady such as you. What do you say, sugar-tits?" Tounyuu leered.

"Yes, because you're all class, aren't you?" Anko replied sarcastically.

"That's me, Tounyuu, axe throwing mercenary by day, debonair gentleman by night. So what do you say? I give you the time of your life," Tounyuu replied with an obnoxious grin.

"Gentleman…right…" Anko said with a sarcastic smile.

Tounyuu raised an eyebrow as he watched her slowly walk over to him and mold her body on the side of his.

"I knew you'd see things my way," Tounyuu said cockily.

"I just wanted to sample the goods to see if you can back up your word," Anko said seductively as she trailed her hand slowly down his chest.

Tounyuu was about to reply when Anko's smirk turned into a full blown sadistic smile. Her hand shot down towards Tounyuu's crotch and she squeezed with rock shattering force.

Tounyuu howled in pain until Anko released his damaged goods. Anko stood there for second before taking a napkin out and wiping her hand clean.

"I knew you were all talk. That twinkie is smaller than my damn index finger," Anko taunted.

Tounyuu growled at her. "It ain't big but it gets the job done. Damn baby, you like to play rough."

"We haven't even got started yet," Anko said cheerfully before summoning some of her pet snakes.

Anko commanded her snakes to constrict Tounyuu and occasionally bite him when she felt like he was being too uppity.

"Ugh, snakes," Tounyuu complained as another snake bit into his shoulder.

"What's wrong with my pets? I think they're adorable, and I always like company when I'm chatting with my latest torture-buddy," Anko replied with childlike giddiness.

"Torture-buddy? Well that's a start…" Tounyuu winced when a different snake bit his thigh.

"Oh wait till the venom starts kicking in. That's when the real fun begins.

"Venom?" Tounyouu asked before he felt a burning sensation coming from his shoulder. He looked at his shoulder just to see a red rash where one of Anko's snakes bit him. He watched in fascination as the rash became a boil that kept getting larger as it filled with fluids until it painfully popped.

"GAAAAAH, WELL…that's…original," Tounyuu panted out.

I wonder what'll happen when you're not so long Johnson gets bitten there?" Anko asked innocently.

"Well let's not do that, and say we found out," Tounyuu said with a half-smile half-grimace

"Well maybe if you tell me something I want to know, your little wood chipper will be A-Okay?" Anko said casually.

Tounyuu stared blankly at her before saying, "Name's Tounyuu. I like polishing my axe and long walks down the beach. I also love reminding women of their place in the world."

"Oh and where is that?" Anko asked with a raised eyebrow.

"…Beneath my boot." Tounyuu smiled sadistically.

"Oh, we have a misogynist among us folks! Kami must be very pleased with me today for giving me this treat." Anko smiled wildly before ordering another venomous snake to bite Tounyuu on the hip.

Tounyuu screamed in pain as the boil exploded. Slowly though his pain filled cries started to turn into manic laughter. Anko raised an eyebrow at the weird shift of emotions but chose to remain silent.

"Is this the best you've got?" Tounyuu said between chuckles.

"You're not quite right in the head, aren't you?" Anko commented off-handedly.

"What it considered right now a day? We got kids being trained to be killers and leaders so full of shit they would make top of the line septic tanks. If I told you, a fresh genin squad died during their first C-rank mission, no one blinks an eye. But if I try to kill one measly baby, everyone loses their mind! Come the fuck on! Shit like this happens every day! It's a dog eat dog world, but I'm being persecuted because I actually enjoy my job. I'm not crazy; I'm just ahead of the curve," Tounyuu said with a psychotic grin.

"The difference is between a psychotic killer such as you, and a real shinobi is that we know where the line is and when not to cross. I get the feeling you enjoying crossing that line," Anko commented.

Tounyuu bobbed his up like a child before saying, "…Oh I do. I love crossing what's considered moral by society and throwing it back in their faces. Also I'm getting a little tired of your holier-than-thou attitude miss I'm-gonna-blow-your-cock-up-with-snake-venom. It must be nice to sit atop your lonely little hill and yell about morality while you yourself are torturing me within an inch of my life."

Anko waved her hand dismissively. "You call it torture, but I call a nice relaxing Sunday afternoon."

Tounyuu gave out a sharp bark of laughter. "That's the problem with all you shitheads. You believe torture is this "necessary" thing. You need to do this so you can get whatever precious info is locked in my cracked pot, but we both this isn't the case."

"Oh and what is the real reason behind it?" Anko asked curiously.

"All this shit, is for you. You like hurting people. You get off on this. Torture is for the torturer. You can lie to yourself all you want, but let me ask you this. How often do you get useful information from a beaten and broken fucker who just wants the pain to stop?"

"Well, when you put it that way, yeah, torturing is useless, but you're missing one point." Anko said as he called back her snakes back.

"Oh and what's that?" Tounyuu asked.

"Any sadist can be a torturer, but Ibiki and I know when to stop and start again later. You're going to talk; it's only a matter of time," Anko said with a sadistic grin before she sashayed out the room.

"That's not gonna happen sugar-tits! Don't worry though; I look forward to more sessions with you. Hopefully there will be fewer ball crushings next time!" Tounyuu joked before Anko slammed the door.

Anko took a deep breath before turning to her colleague, "Saddle up, Ibiki. We're in this for the long haul…"

Ibiki shook his slowly, "I was afraid you were gonna say that…"

* * *

><p><strong>3 Months Later – Land of Lightning<strong>

* * *

><p>The beautiful courtesan slowly trailed her hand across the older man's red haori. "Is this business or pleasure."<p>

The man gently grasped the woman's hand before sliding it away from him, "Business."

The woman huffed gently, "This is a first, Jiraiya-kun. Usually you prefer my company."

Jiraiya of the Sannin said in exasperation before looking over the woman in front of him. She was looker with her brown soft curls and doe like eyes. She had supple curves in all the right places and her smile was enough to fuel more than a few erotic chapters for his novels. It would be so easy to give in, but Jiraiya made a promise that he wouldn't stop until he found what he came for. Ever since he left Naruto in the village, he couldn't stop thinking about how his cavalier behavior was what put Naruto in such a bind now.

The boy wasn't the same and he was more emotionally lost than he was before. Every time he would be waved over by a pretty little thing, his heart would seize up and his brain would replay Naruto desperately trying to claw through the wreckage of that vile base so he could see his last two children one more time.

Jiraiya would wake up in the middle of the night just to get away from the accusing stares that plagued his dreams. He hadn't been able to be with a woman ever since. His research had been put on hold and his publicist had been given his note of hiatus concerning his novels. Of course there was an outcry of shock followed by pleading, but Jiraiya didn't care.

He had the itching feeling in the back of his mind that something wasn't quite right about what happened at that base. He had gone directly there and found…nothing…no cave in, no dead bodies, not even any research notes. This screamed "clean up job" in his mind and he was going to get the bottom of this which is why he ended up in his favorite brothel in Lightning Country.

"I'm sorry Kasumi, but I need to see your mistress," Jiraiya said seriously.

The Courtesan known as Kasumi huffed again but motion for Jiraiya to follow her. They both walked silently while Jiraiya ignored the looks being sent his way.

"This must be quite serious for you. You haven't even glanced at another woman here. It's quite a shock to see this behavior from the self-proclaimed super pervert." Kasumi commented idly.

"Nothing else matters at the moment, my dear," Jiraiya said without missing a beat.

Kasumi nodded before opening a sliding door for Jiraiya. Jiraiya nodded his head in gratitude before crossing the threshold. Sitting before him sat a woman in her mid-forties. She had black hair with streaks of silver here and there. Her eyes were a deep shade of brown that bordered black and seemed to be appraising him with suspicion.

"Jiraiya," the mistress of the brothel greeted shortly.

"Akira," the old sage greeted back in the same tone.

"So what do I owe the pleasure of you being in my office again? Were you harassing one of my girls again?" Akira asked with steel in her tone.

"First of all, we both agreed that day was a big misunderstanding. I had too much to drink and you're new girl was a liar and a thief. Secondly, I'm here for information about-" Jiraiya was cut off by Akira.

"About a hidden lab that was destroyed nearly a year ago…" Akira finished for him

Jiraiya frowned, but didn't seem surprised. "You're well informed…"

"It's my job; pleasuring rich pigs can only get you so far," Akira said with a smirk. It was a well-known fact that brothel houses were a gold mine of information if you knew where to look and who to ask. Jiraiya had based most of his spy network around brothel houses and such.

"I need to know whatever you know about that base," Jiraiya said seriously.

"What's in it for me?" Akira asked with a teasing smirk.

Jiraiya just grunted before tossing a large money pouch towards Akira. The Head Mistress caught it with easy before looking inside the bag.

"It's double you're usual rate," Jiraiya said simply.

"This must be quite important to you if you're not wasting our time with your nonsensical haggling," Akira said with a slight smile.

"It is, now tell me what you know," Jiraiya said shortly. It seemed like he was running out of patience.

Akira stood up before sighing. "I don't have anything about that base." She held up her hand to stop Jiraiya's protest. "I do know someone who can help you. I can arrange for him to meet you on neutral ground in two days. He'll have what you're searching for."

Jiraiya looked at the location Akira circled on a map she had just given to him. "How do I know I can trust this?"

"I trust this person and if you didn't trust me, you wouldn't have come here for information." Akira smiled serenely.

Jiraiya nodded his head and was about to leave when Akira gently grasped his shoulder. "You should go get a massage. You're so tense."

Jiraiya shrugged her hand off his shoulder, "I'm fine, thanks. Make sure you're contact is there when he says he will be."

Akira watched his retreating form before she let out a small sigh. She sat back down and wrote a small letter to her contact.

"_**The Toad is in the swamp and wants to see how the hornet lives during the new moon."**_

Two days had gone in a blink of an eye for Jiraiya. Now he waited patiently in a small border village that sat between Fire and Lightning Country. Every now and then he would look over the people passing him by, but he wouldn't look long enough to draw attention to himself. A dark skinned boy who couldn't have been older than Naruto sat next to him. He had white shaggy hair and a lollipop in his mouth. Jiraiya looked him over and noticed that despite his civilian clothing, he held the posture of a ninja waiting to act.

"The crow caws at midnight…" the boy said casually.

Jiraiya groaned. It was going to be the last time he let Akira choose the pass phrases, "…And the cat sours the basil."

The boy nodded before gesturing towards the forest bordering the village. Jiraiya looked at him wearily before nodding slowly and following the boy into the forest. They walked in silence until they came to a new clearing with a larger dark skinned man leaned casually on a tree.

"Are you Akira's contact?" Jiraiya asked while his hand rested on his kunai pouch.

The man saw Jiraiya's hand rest casually on his weapon pouch and held his hands up to placate the Sannin. "No need to be alarmed, I ain't armed. Miss Akira told a little birdie to meet a toad, but I didn't know I'd be meeting a Sannin down the road. Name's Killer Bee, when fools see me they flee, cuz I'm the eight tails jinchuriki."

Jiraiya looked at the strange man before turning towards the boy who escorted him. "Is he always like that?"

The boy just shrugged his shoulders. "You get used to sensei's weird tendencies."

"Right…Killer Bee was it, if you hold the eight-tails that means you guys are from Kumogakure," Jiraiya stated.

"You got it one, Kumogakure is where I'm from. Now let's talk about why we're here and make some matters clear," Bee rapped out.

Jiraiya nodded his head, "I'm here about any information you could tell me about that base that was destroyed about a year ago."

"Before I say anything, I need to know why you want this information," Bee said without rapping.

Jiraiya got the feeling that Bee only stopped rapping when he became serious, "That base ran experiments on my student. They…hurt him badly."

"So you seeking retribution? I gotta tell you that aint the solution," Bee replied.

"No, I'm not looking for payback," Jiraiya said with a shake of his head. "On the day that I found my student; we lost something during our escape."

"Can you be more specific? That would be terrific," Bee said as he crossed his arms.

"I don't know why I should tell you. From what Naruto told me, he said there were Kumo-nins all over that lab that was holding him. Honestly, I don't have any reason to trust you."

"Alright man, I hear you. I'll give you proof. I gotta warn you that you might fall on your ass with a great oomph!" Bee said before tiring his head in a different direction.

"Samui, bring out Red and Blue, they gots some explainin to do," Bee finished in a joking manner as Omoi groaned.

Jiraiya turned his head and froze on the spot. He watched in what felt like slow motion as a busty blonde woman walked into the clearing. His eyes gravitated towards her robust chest, but not for the reason would come to expect from Jiraiya, the legendary pervert. Within the young woman's arms were two babies that Jiraiya only caught a glimpse of a year back, but their faces were forever etched into his mind. The blue hair baby kept fidgeting within Samui's grasp. He was just like Naruto had said; the boy was a little bundle of energy. Jiraiya turned his gave to the red head little girl her hair was now reaching her shoulders and she still had the tendency to pull on blonde hair as she had a few of Samui's blonde locks wrapped around her pudgy fingers. The main give away for her heritage though was her whisker marks etched on each of her cheeks…

Jiraiya felt his knees give out on him as he continued to stare at the two babies who were playing with their current caretaker without a concern for the world. Jiraiya felt his hands reach out for them even though he was across the clearing as he whispered their names,

"Kushina…Uzushiomaru…?"

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><p><strong>Chapter End<strong>

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><p><strong>AN I can't express how sorry I am for taking so long with this chapter. I went through so many drafts and rewrites and bouts of just losing interest in Naruto in general. I can't really say I've found my muse again, but I'm really trying and I apologize in advance if I disappear again though with the cliffhanger I just left it on, people might riot if I fade away for another ½ year…**

**Please leave a review, right Minato! Minato…? *Finds note* "You are not allowed to use Minato to shamelessly garner reviews anymore after putting him through so much and then abandoning him for so long – Hinata & Naruto"**

**But…but…I created him!**


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